The Lied Center officially opened on September 28, 1993. The $2.5 million gift will allow the center accommodate more programs.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The Lied Center, a place for students to perform and learn for 16 years, received a $2.5 million gift last week to go toward expansions.
The donation from the Lied Foundation Trust will not only double the size of the main floor lobby, but will fund the construction of an education pavilion.
Tim Van Leer, executive director of the Center, said the education pavilion would provide extra space for receptions, dinners and pre- and post-concert discussions.
“Artists will have this space available to give master classes for students, give lectures to students and classes will be able to meet with artists, as well,” Van Leer said. “Our hope is in the education pavilion that we’ll have the technology that will allow us to expand our outreach across the state through distance learning.”
Distance learning, he said, would occur when a visiting artist taught a class that could be filmed and broadcast to other schools.
Rebecca Beaulieu, Lawrence senior, is majoring in music education with an emphasis on voice. She said she had been to the Center to perform and to learn from speakers and she thought the distance learning was a good idea.
“It’s a good place to offer education to the students of Lawrence and the students of KU and I’d love to see that utilized more,” Beaulieu said. “To have an archive of those videos would be pretty special.”
Andrew Linn, St. Louis senior, is a member of KU Jazz Combo and said it would be helpful to have a larger lobby on the main floor of the Lied Center.
“There’s been far too many concerts where I’m getting out and trying to meet someone and it’s too crowded — it’s uncomfortable,” Linn said. “Especially for big audiences, the whole maneuvering is just kind of hard.”
Linn said he also looked forward to the creation of the education pavilion.
“Being a music major, it’s great to hear that they’re making those expansions for students like me and students around the music school,” Linn said.
Musicians aren’t the only ones who can benefit from the expansions — thespians and dancers can use the education pavilion for workshops and distance learning as well.
In addition to the expansion of the lobby and creation of the education pavilion, exhibition and display areas will be created to tell the story of Mr. Lied, Van Leer said.
The expansion plans will be submitted to the Kansas Board of Regents today and Thursday.
“The Lied Center will not be closed for any of this,” he said. “It can be done without difficulty.”
Construction could begin this spring and would last between nine and 12 months.
— Edited by Betsy Cutcliff
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