Facilities, Centers, Collections

Continue below for building/room descriptions, creative spaces, notable centers, and special collections.

Looking to reserve a classroom or performance space?

1. Operating Policies and Procedures: Guidelines for the use of music facilities by CWRU affiliates and external groups. 
2. Room Schedules and Reservations: View room schedules and request a reservation.

Haydn Hall

View Haydn Hall on a Map.

Haydn Hall, located in the heart of Mather Quad, is home to Department of Music faculty and staff offices, graduate student offices, four classrooms, four practice rooms, two HPP studios, the Music Education Resource Room, a Macintosh computer classroom/lab (The Core), and a large lounge (The Haven Music Hall). In 1902, Flora Stone Mather funded construction of Haydn Hall. Originally envisioned as a study and recreation facility, this building served as the only student center on campus, but the growing student population and crowding at Guilford required that Haydn also serve as the second College for Women dormitory. It was given to the college by Flora Stone Mather and named in honor of Hiram Collins Haydn, the fifth president of Western Reserve University, pastor of the Old Stone Church, and the individual most active in convincing Western Reserve College to move to Cleveland. Charles F. Schweinfurth, the prominent residential architect of Euclid Avenue (“Millionaires’ Row”) mansions, also rebuilt the interior of the Old Stone Church in 1884 and designed Trinity Cathedral, designed Haydn Hall. Classrooms scheduling is controlled by the University Registrar and available for non-music classes with permission from the Department of Music. The practice rooms are open to music majors and CWRU students enrolled in music ensembles or applied music lessons.

Mather Quad buildings: Mather Memorial Building, Clark Hall, Harkness Chapel, Haydn Hall, Mather House, Mather Dance Center, and Guilford House, were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s to house the College for Women. Read more about the history of the College of Arts and Sciences. 

Music Education Resource Room

The Music Education Resource Center (Haydn Hall, 10) is a space for music education students to prepare educational materials and research projects, and it contains a variety of audiovisual media, including a library of education-oriented music software. Students may borrow items from a large collection of music textbooks, educational recordings, testing materials, vocal and instrumental books, curriculum guides, and classroom instruments. The use of this center is encouraged and sometimes required for many of the projects/assignments throughout the music education curriculum.

The Core

The Core (Haydn Hall, 16) is a Macintosh computer classroom and lab dedicated to mind, sound, and vision. The Core is a collaborative space for all CWRU students, faculty, and staff, as well as the University Circle community, to gather and collaborate, design visual and aural mediums, and create masterpieces. It not only offers computers and software, but also video and digital cameras and microphones for checkout, one-on-one tutorial time, course instruction, and space for meetings/demonstrations. The Core is actively involved in bringing technology to the community and it works closely with faculty in providing support facilities for technology-related courses. Contact Ken Wendt, IT Coordinator (Haydn Hall, 16A), for computers and software, video and digital cameras, and microphones.

The Haven Music Hall

The Haven Music Hall (Haydn Hall, 100) is a multi-use space and public lounge where Department of Music students, faculty, and staff can relax, socialize, and study. It is available (by reservation) for special events and after-hours rehearsals, practice, or lessons. Guests will take pleasure in viewing past photographs of "The Haven" when it served as the main dining room and social hall for Haydn Hall, along with posters from past Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Annual Music Master Series.

Denison Hall

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Denison Hall is located next to Wade Commons near the North Residential Village and is used primarily for ensemble rehearsals and other musical activities. This building has six Wenger practice modules (one of which is a“virtual reality” acoustic room), percussion studio, music library, marching band storage, and instrument lockers. The four classrooms include Spartan Rehearsal Hall, Wade Rehearsal Hall, Denison Rehearsal Hall, and Denison Classroom. The spaces in Denison Hall are utilized by CWRU music majors, students enrolled in music ensembles or applied music lessons, and affiliated student organizations. Scheduling is controlled by the Department of Music. For more information, please see Nicholas Strawn, Performance and Operations Assistant (Denison Hall, 157).

Florence Harkness Memorial Chapel

View Florence Harkness Memorial Chapel on a map.

Florence Harkness Memorial Chapel (est. 1902) is known for its Tiffany stained-glass windows, soaring arches, and beautiful woodwork. The neo-Gothic structure, located in Mather Quad, commemorates the brief life of Florence Harkness Severance (Louis Henry Severance), the only daughter of Stephen V. Harkness and his second wife, Anna M. Richardson Harkness. The venue features a warm, intimate, and acoustically resonant space for Department of Music performances, lectures, and special events.

Physical feature include:

• ground-level seating for up to 400 guests
• built-in sound amplification with audio/video recording and streaming capabilities, audio recording studio (lower-level)
• exterior and interior house/stage lighting, HVAC, wireless internet, electrical outlets on stage
• hard floors/carpeting, paved walkways, ramp entrance, accessible restrooms, water fountain, large foyer with faux fireplace and TV display

Harkness Chapel, Classroom

Harkness Classroom is located inside of Harkness Chapel and serves as an academic classroom and a backstage area during performances. This room features a capacity of 45 desks on risers with Level 2 Technology, including video projection, stereo sound system, and a grand piano. Scheduling is controlled by the University Registrar and available for non-music classes with permission from the Department of Music.

Kulas Music Collection 

The Kulas Music Collection, located on the first floor of the Kelvin Smith Library, contains more than 42,000 items, including books, scores, media, microforms, and music periodicals. Users can borrow books and scores; the library provides listening and reading areas to use media and reference collections. In addition to print resources, access is provided to online databases and research guides. A partnership with the Robinson Music Library at the Cleveland Institute of Music, which coordinates acquisitions and services, is available to faculty, staff and students with a valid ID. For assistance using the collections or other music-related research, please contact Jacey Kepich, Research and Engagement Librarian (jacey.kepich@case.edu). 

Kulas Collection of Historical Instruments

The Department of Music maintains the Kulas Collection of historical instruments, an impressive collection of modern reproductions of period instruments (renaissance, medieval/baroque string, wind, brass, and percussion). The collection is available to all students enrolled in Historical Performance Practice (HPP) and participating in various ensembles. The HPP program also owns French, Italian, and German Harpsichords, a continuo organ, and two fortepianos for students focused on historical keyboards. To learn more, please contact Julie Andrijeski, Head of Historical Performance Practice.

Center for Popular Music Studies 

The Center for Popular Music Studies (CPMS) exists to promote scholarship and teaching about the history and significance of popular music, which includes collaborations and partnerships with institutions in Cleveland and around the world. For more information, please contact Daniel Goldmark, Head of Popular Music Studies and Director of CPMS.

The goals and objectives of the CPMS include:

• supporting collaboration between researchers and historians of popular music
• investigating and creating new approaches to teaching popular music (including performance)
• providing opportunities for graduate students to learn about popular music in an active
• critically robust program, and advancing emerging research in popular music through sponsorship of visiting scholars

Maltz Performing Arts Center

The Milton and Tamar Maltz Performing Arts Center opened in 2015 after extensive restoration and renovation of the structure, which first served as a synagogue in 1924. Today, the center is an active venue for performances and events, including lectures and music concerts, including the Silver Hall Concert Series (during which our department ensembles perform). Phase One includes Silver Hall, a 1,000-seat concert hall for large ensemble performances, and Koch Hall, a 90-seat recital hall for smaller performances. Phase Two includes a proscenium theater, a blackbox studio theater, rehearsal studios, practice rooms, and costume and scene shops. Creating the Center (video) >>