Facilities
Situated at the southeast entrance to the campus green, the Music Center is home to teaching studios, classrooms, music labs, practice rooms, and a student lounge offering a stunning view of campus. The center also houses a harpsichord and Steinway pianos dating as far back as 1859. Seating 450, the performance hall boasts acoustics and technical capabilities that support a variety of musical performances, from intimate chamber recitals to symphonies.
But music did not always have its own home on campus. For nearly 50 years, the gymnasium was the bustling center of campus life, housing concerts, theater performances, sporting events, dances, and commencement. When the King Center was constructed in 1976, athletics moved into the new complex, and so too did music. The space was then occupied by paleontology until a new paleontology building opened in 2011.
In the interim, music activities rapidly expanded, outgrowing their space in the King Center. With the old gymnasium now available, the space was repurposed and renovations began. Today, the music building is a thriving hub of concerts, rehearsals, lectures, meetings, and classes. Yet much work remains to be done: developing the lower floor into classrooms, adding audio infrastructure and performance lighting, extending concert hall seating and the stage, and renovating rooms into a recording studio and control room.
To achieve this vision of creating an exceptional performance facility for South Dakota Mines and the region, funding is needed. You can help make this dream come true by donating today. Contact Dr. Armstrong to learn more.