School of Music Excursion
School of Music Excursion
June 23, 2021
Getting to the know the ASU Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (HIDA) is a critical part of integrating and orienting Mirabella at ASU residents into the campus community, particularly because Mirabella is located along the arts and culture corridor of the Tempe campus. This corridor runs along the west side of the Tempe campus—from the north end where Mirabella at ASU is located, to the south end where Gammage Auditorium is located. It houses dozens of arts and culture venues, concert halls, galleries, studios and classroom spaces, which include the ASU Art Museum, the Harry Wood Gallery, the Galvin Playhouse, the Lyceum Theatre, and the Katzin Concert Hall. The corridor also includes the School of Design, the School of Art, and the School of Music, Dance and Theatre, which is home to many more places to experience and learn music, dance, theater, art, and design—all within a 10-minute walk from Mirabella.
Given the important relationship Mirabella at ASU has with HIDA, we are taking tours of each of these locations to become familiar with them, learn what kind of experiences we will find there during the performance season and regular semesters, and also become acquainted with the faculty and staff who manage these beautiful facilities.
Our visit to the School of Music was a special occasion because many residents whose homes face south can see this beautiful circular “cake-like” building from their windows. As an undergraduate, I remember popping into this building and walking the circular hallways to hear student musicians play in their practice rooms. We are lucky to have some of the most talented and experienced of these music students living in our community right now, so we’ll enjoy observing open practices within the building as they continue to develop and refine their performance skills.
Katzin Concert Hall is one of the most used performance halls in the Music Building. This 350-seat theatre opens into a beautiful fountain courtyard and accommodates a small orchestra. Primarily used for solo and chamber music recitals, this hall provides a warm acoustical atmosphere with a maple-paneled stage, multi-faceted walls, and an acoustically engineered billowed ceiling.
Katzin Concert Hall Video Tour
The Organ Hall houses a famous Fritts & Co. pipe organ and an Italian Baroque organ built by Domenico Traeri in 1742. The completion of the Fritts & Co. organ for the ASU Herberger Institute School of Music, Dance and Theatre in 1992 provides an organ of top quality that is available on a regular basis for teaching, practice, and recitals. The tonal and visual beauty of the instrument, as well as the architecture of the room, are sources of enjoyment, pride, and inspiration for lovers of organ music in the Tempe area, as well as visiting organists and organ builders from North America, Europe, Australia and Japan.
Remember, one of the perks of being Founding Members of Mirabella at ASU is complimentary access to all Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts performances.
