Jacksonville State University’s outstanding music program continues to grow. The tradition of excellence in this division requires a new music education building housing 21st Century technological advances. The Center for Musical Arts is envisioned as a state-of-the-art, architecturally innovative, acoustically excellent complex for the performing arts. This world class facility will provide a unique fine arts environment designed to inspire students and faculty at Jacksonville State University and all of Northeast Alabama.

Artistic excellence in music demands that JSU compete with other regional institutions, many boasting modern, state-of-the-art facilities and performing spaces, in order to recruit talented and capable student musicians. Mason Hall, which currently houses the David L. Walters Department of Music, is now over forty years old. In those forty years, the scope and complexity of the music program has grown dramatically in both size and quality. We are now attracting students from throughout the nation and adequate facilities to support a varied and vital program of first-rate student musicians is a necessity.

Designed as an architectural structure housing the Department of Music, the Center for Musical Arts will meet the concert, musical and educational needs of Jacksonville State students as well as the citizens of Northeast Alabama. A major addition to the landscape of the University, the center will be aesthetically significant for the reception of music and enhance the character and distinctiveness of the existing campus buildings. The Power of 125 campaign goal of $7,500,000 will support the overall budget of an estimated $40,000,000 for this project.

The Center design will serve the growing demands of approximately 300 music majors, a faculty of 30, and affiliated activities including a pre-college preparatory program. With sufficient flexibility to meet expanding needs of the University, the center provides a venue for the 95 performances held annually by faculty, students and visiting artist. An acoustically appropriate venue will be available for such gatherings as the “Piano Festival,” “Saxophone Gathering, “and “Bone fest for Trombonists.”

The center also forges a path towards a world standard of excellence by achieving the “All Steinway Institution” designation. Steinway, a name recognized as the world standard for quality and excellence in pianos, would provide through purchase or lease all pianos used in the David L. Walters Department of Music. The “All Steinway Institution” designation places Jacksonville State in the forefront of music schools in the use of these prestigious instruments providing an invaluable student recruitment factor.

As well as providing adequate academic teaching facilities, this facility would include a Concert Hall to serve the entire region as a primary music performance venue. With an enviable legacy of excellence in Music, Jacksonville State is able to attract productions of regional and national significance. However, no facility exists for such presentations in the entire northeastern portion of the state. The design enables the hosting of events for state music education enrichment including festivals, conventions, and workshops.

The Center for Musical Arts facility considered a regional, community, and university project, will require various funding sources to provide the additional resources needed to complete the facility. Some of these funding sources include:

The dramatic addition of The Center for Musical Arts to campus life will certainly offer the David L. Walters Department of Music a superior musical venue for community groups and position Jacksonville State to further its mission by making a significant contribution to the artistic life of the citizens of Alabama.