The University received a substantial pledge yesterday, totaling $23.5 million, to bolster the University's music program. The pledge from Carl and Hunter Smith will fund in part the construction of a 100,000 square foot performing arts center and endow a concert and marching band.
The Smiths, longtime donors to the University, pledged $22 million for the construction of a planned $47 million new arts building, the proposed cornerstone of what University administrators envision as an "Arts Grounds."
The Smiths also pledged $1.5 million for the creation of a University marching and concert band.
Amy Cronin, chief of staff at the President's office, said President John T. Casteen, III and Leonard W. Sandridge, executive vice president and chief operating officer, had been discussing the large donation with the Smiths for about a year. In a press release, Casteen enthusiastically welcomed the Smiths' gift.
"Their extraordinary generosity will leave an indelible mark on University life for generations to come," Casteen said.
The new arts facility will be built on the corner of Massie Road and Emmet Street and will feature a concert hall with at least 1,200 seats, classrooms, performance areas, music department offices and a storage area for the new concert and marching band. The center is scheduled for completion in 2006.
An architect has yet to be named to the project, but officials expect the design phase to be over and construction to commence by December 2004.
The creation of a concert and marching band has been deemed by University officials as essential to achieving the goals outlined in Virginia 2020, the University's long term plan.
As part of the University's stated drive to upgrade the arts programs on Grounds, music department faculty identified an additional performance offering as a key to attracting quality music students last fall, Cronin said.
The new marching band is scheduled to make its debut in fall 2004.
Presently, the University is the only school in the Atlantic Coast Conference that does not have a marching band.
"It's going to add a great part of traditional football games we don't have at U.Va.," second-year College student Jonathan Young said.
The Smiths made the single largest monetary donation to the University in 1997 when they pledged $25 million to expand Scott Stadium and build a football stadium at the University's College at Wise. The area surrounding Scott Stadium was renamed in honor of Smith, who was a scholarship football player at the University.
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