Music students have new rehearsal hall

Music students have new rehearsal hall

Published 11:53 am Thursday, October 16, 2025

Musicians don’t practice. They rehearse.

That was just one of the smaller points to consider when Georgia College & State University developed the concept of a new facility for its Department of Music. Now, those students learning the arts for singing or their favorite instrument are enjoying a new Music Rehearsal Hall at the corner of Wayne and Montgomery streets.

“Everything is happening at this corner,” said GCSU president Cathy Cox before the official ribbon cutting for the Hall. Among those attending was Macon’s Gene Dunwoody, architect for the project.

Cox recalled her arrival to the Milledgeville institution in 2021 when she had up to 26 listening sessions. Among the topics was a need for upgraded facilities for music education. And when touring what was there at the time, Cox remembered feeling so sad at just how low the ceilings were – literally – for the choral students.

Yes, there was a need for more space for teaching and for rehearsing. It took two years of planning to meet these needs, but Cox said they now have the space they deserve.

“First class,” she said.

Dr. Don Parker is the chair for the Department of Music and thanked everyone for their support of the department and complimented the “team effort” that went into making this new facility a reality. Major areas of improvement this new Rehearsal Hall provides are in sound insulation, clarity and simply the ability to rehearse without distractions. He said it’s a great environment for growth, good acoustics and there’s a lot of smart technology for recording.

And, maybe most importantly, a new Rehearsal Hall will enhance recruitment.

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Holley Roberts said this is a vital investment for the campus moving forward.

“This distinguishes who we are as a university,” she said.

The facility covers 10,400 square feet with practice rooms, a percussion room, and rooms on each end for choir and band/orchestra. It was pointed out how there was originally just one room on one end, but that quickly changed to two.

Two major donors who assisted with the ribbon cutting were Dr. Maidana Nunn (’57) and Sandra Rosseter (’62).

The Department of Music has a long list of public performances in the 2025-26 season, including an orchestra concert on Oct. 21, a wind symphony concert on Oct. 23, and a jazz band concert Oct. 31, all at Russell Auditorium. The 18th annual holiday concert is Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Russell Auditorium, with tickets $10 each and available at give.gcsu.edu/e/holidayconcert25. Some concerts are streamed live on facebook.com/GCMusicDepartment.