Orchestra and Music Halls

Orchestra and Music Halls. . The two-story Orchestra Hall was built on the corner of Avenue C and Chestnut Street in 1936 with a Public Works Administration grant and loan. Thirty-six men who were members of the college band, orchestra and stage band directed by 'Fessor Floyd Graham moved into rooms on the top floor, and their rent helped pay off the loan. They were grateful for the accommodations, although the building's steep, curved staircases on Chestnut Street were not a favorite feature -- especially for the double bass players. In 1940, construction began on the Music Hall, which adjoined Orchestra Hall to the east. Fifty-two men lived on the third floor, above the practice rooms and overlooking the tennis courts of the recreation park. During World War II, female students replaced the men in the halls, and Orchestra Hall briefly housed pilot trainees. Music Hall was home to a broadcasting studio that was deemed the largest in the South, and the music school's reputation grew as campus programs were broadcast weekly over state networks and Dallas' WFAA radio. The oldest section of today's Music Building, facing Avenue C, was constructed in 1960. It was designed with the latest acoustical and soundproofing features and included a concert hall that was renovated and named Voertman Hall in 2010. Orchestra Hall and Music Hall were razed in 1975 for an extensive expansion that provided additional facilities for the internationally acclaimed and growing school.