On January 1, 2012, Prelude at the Green Music Center was the site for a major announcement regarding the opening of the Donald and Maureen Green Music Center. See press release below.
| SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES GRAND OPENING OF GREEN MUSIC CENTER ON SEPTEMBER 29 AND 30, 2012
INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED PIANIST LANG LANG OPENS WEILL HALL IN OPENING NIGHT RECITAL SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2012
SANTA ROSA SYMPHONY AND MUSIC DIRECTOR BRUNO FERRANDIS PRESENT INAUGURAL CONCERT ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES MULTI-YEAR CONCERT AGREEMENT WITH SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY AND EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WITH CARNEGIE HALL
Sonoma County, California – January 2, 2012 – The Donald and Maureen Green Music Center and the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Hall, Lawn, and Commons on the campus of Sonoma State University officially open on Saturday, September 29, 2012 with a performance by internationally acclaimed pianist Lang Lang in Weill Hall followed by a formal opening night dinner. The Santa Rosa Symphony, Resident Orchestra of the Green Music Center, will perform a Sunday matinee concert led by Music Director Bruno Ferrandis and featuring special appearances by former music directors Corrick Brown and Jeffrey Kahane in addition to a commissioned world premiere from a Sonoma County composer. A full calendar of Opening Weekend events will be announced as part of the Inaugural Season Announcement in early March. The San Francisco Symphony and Sonoma State University announce a multi-year multi-concert series in which the Orchestra performs four subscription concerts annually at the Green Music Center, beginning in the inaugural 2012-13 season. Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas and guest conductors will lead the Orchestra at Weill Hall with full details of dates, artists, and repertoire to be announced March 5. In addition, it was announced that talks are underway between Sonoma State University and New York’s Carnegie Hall, exploring a number of future partnership opportunities, including music education programs that could benefit students in area schools; special residencies with young professional musician fellows from The Academy program, combining performance and community activities; as well as programming in Sonoma County tied to future Carnegie Hall artistic initiatives. Details of the partnership will be announced once plans are finalized. The above news was announced on January 1, 2012 by Sonoma State University President Ruben Armiñana, Sanford I. Weill, Chair of the Green Music Center Board of the Advisors, and Donald Green, Chair Emeritus of the Green Music Center Board of Advisors at a New Year’s Day Open House for major donors and supporters from the community. “This project has been a labor of love for Maureen and me and many in our community for more than 12 years,” stated Donald Green. “We feel excited and grateful to everyone as we watch the Green Music Center come to fruition in such a positive way with so many supporters.” “This is truly the moment for which we have all been waiting,” said President Armiñana. “We would not be here without the community of music lovers and philanthropists who have come together around our vision of a world class performing arts venue at a public university.” Located on the picturesque Sonoma State University campus in the heart of California’s Sonoma wine region, the Green Music Center is a focal point for music in the region and home to the University’s music department. The more than $130,000,000 performing arts center will welcome local music lovers and visitors from around the world providing economic and cultural benefits for the entire region. In its public university setting, the Green Music Center offers a peerless venue with superb acoustics where students and guests of all ages and backgrounds can come to hear, work alongside, and learn from the very best. The Green Music Center is an initiative led by Sonoma State University but supported through deep roots in the Northern California philanthropic community. Beginning with the Green Family’s initial contribution, and supported by the Santa Rosa Symphony, the dream behind the world class performing arts center has attracted contributions from more than 1,800 contributors. “Joan and I are extremely passionate about education, music, and the arts and we are firm believers that they help bridge cultural divides that exist throughout the world,” said Sandy Weill. “The Green Music Center at Sonoma State University brings all three together on the campus of a public university. Not only will the Center create an innovative learning environment for students with our exciting new partnerships, but it will provide an economic boost to the area and help diversify its tourist base. Northern California boasts some of the country’s best food, wine, weather, people and now culture. Today’s announcements further enhance the reputation of San Francisco and the whole North Bay as one of the world’s premier cultural destinations.” “The San Francisco Symphony looks forward to participating in the inaugural seasons of the Green Music Center at Sonoma State University,” said Brent Assink, Executive Director of the San Francisco Symphony. “It is a beautiful venue and will, I believe, soon join the roster of America’s finest concert halls. It will undoubtedly enrich the cultural life of the entire Bay Area. We are eager to welcome audiences to this stunning new venue and share the inspired music-making that is the trademark of the vibrant partnership between the San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas.” Lang Lang will be the first of many internationally acclaimed performing artists and ensembles featured in the first season in 2012-2013, programmed by Artistic Director Jeff Langley in partnership with Artistic Consultant Robert Cole. Opportunities to hear the talented student musicians from Sonoma State University’s Music Department in performance throughout the year, a full slate of student led programming initiatives from On Campus Presents, and concerts with both the Santa Rosa Symphony and San Francisco Symphony combine to create a full season of music and arts in the 2012-2013 inaugural season. Founded in 1928, the Santa Rosa Symphony ranks among the oldest symphony orchestras in the western states. As Resident Orchestra, the Santa Rosa Symphony will present its classical music series in Weill Hall, inaugurate a new Family Concert Series and host free concerts for youth and youth orchestras as part of the 2012-2103 Inaugural Season at the Green Music Center. “It is nothing less than a transformational opportunity that seldom is afforded any American orchestra – to call a world class concert hall its home,” stated Santa Rosa Symphony Executive Director Alan Silow. “Rivaling the Vienna Musikvereinssaal and Boston Symphony’s Ozawa Hall, the Weill Concert Hall will create an intimate space that becomes part of our musical ensemble itself.”
About The Green Music Center: The initial concept for the Center began with Donald and Maureen Green’s dream to establish a choral recital hall on campus and expanded into a world-class arts center after Sonoma State University President Ruben Armiñana, his wife Marne Olson, and Donald and Maureen Green visited Tanglewood in the early 1990s. These four love classical music and education, and saw the University as a future home for a music venue unmatched by any on the West Coast and beyond. They were impressed by Ozawa’s acoustical perfection and intrigued by its design and they set out to closely replicate it on the Sonoma State campus. Joan and Sanford I. Weill’s recent generous contribution enables Sonoma State University to complete the Center. Weill Hall, Lawn, and Commons join an already completed state-of-the-art music education building, faculty offices, and an elegant restaurant and executive retreat center. Among the plans was to provide a new home for the Santa Rosa Symphony. When finally complete the Green Music Center will also include the 250 seat “Schroeder’s Recital Hall,” named by Jean Schulz, wife of the late cartoonist Charles Schulz. Designed by architect William Rawn, working closely with acoustician Lawrence Kirkegaard, the 1,400 seat Joan and Sanford I. Weill Hall is modeled after Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood and was designed to replicate the intimacy and acoustics of Vienna’s Musikverein and Symphony Hall in Boston. In addition to the concert hall, the Center will include two additional performance venues. The south end of the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Hall is designed with a back wall that can be fully opened onto a beautifully landscaped and terraced lawn, similar to Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood, expanding the reach of the concert hall to an additional 3,000 guests. The Weill Commons, an area directly to the east of the main concert hall, will be transformed into an amphitheater with a 10,000 seat capacity for large-scale outdoor events. |
Enjoy the latest edition of the Green Music Center newsletter – 16 pages of stories, construction updates, and new photography of nearly-completed Weill Hall.
View or download the PDF by clicking the link below:
The GMC courtyard colonnade is fully funded and the design and contract documents for this area are currently being completed for bid. The full build-out of this area is, but not limited to: To provide the covered walkway colonnade and all related work for a complete installation. The scope includes the footings and infrastructure, including the stone veneered columns, exposed wood structural beams, lighting, covered walkway colonnade system with decorative wood lattice screens. The covered walkway colonnade is designed to create the graceful enclosures to the south and west of the Concert Hall Trione Courtyard. The colonnade is designed as a low profile element with the use of wood and stone in order to convey a sense of location in Sonoma County. They echo textural elements found elsewhere in the complex and form the transparent walls of the courtyard. In addition, they provide protection from the elements in inclement weather. The anticipated installation for this scope of work is scheduled to be completed by spring 2012.
The GMC Founders Room is fully funded. The full build-out of this item is, but not limited to: To provide and install all related work for a complete installation of all related “warm-shelled” unfinished areas within the Founders Room. This scope of work will provide full build-out of this space: interior wall assemblies, ceiling and floor finishes, wall and carpet, paint, HVAC trim out, lighting, electrical, built-in banquette, interior doors and hardware and trim out including furniture. The Founders Room will be an elegant space in which to host special events, receptions, small dinners, and celebrate the work of the many artists who will appear at the center.
The GMC Performance Support Spaces, (Back of the House) interior spaces are fully funded. The full build-out of these spaces are, but not limited to: To provide and install all related work for a complete installation of all interior space improvements regarding the remaining Performance Support Spaces, (Back of the House) interior spaces. This scope of work will provide full build-out of these spaces: interior wall assemblies, ceiling and floor finishes, wall and carpet, paint, HVAC systems and trim out, lighting, electrical, built-in cabinetry/casework, interior doors and hardware, all plumbing fixtures and trim out, including mirrors/accessories as part of this scope of work. The anticipated installation for this interior improvement package is scheduled to be completed by January 2012.
The GMC Concert Hall lobby interior improvements are fully funded. The full build-out of this space is, but not limited to: To provide and install all related work fo
r a complete installation of all “warm-shelled” unfinished spaces within the GMC Concert Hall lobby. This scope of work will provide a complete build-out of this space: floor finishes, wood millwork, lighting, (custom chandeliers) interior wall assemblies, ceiling, HVAC systems and trim out including the main stair and elevator system. The lobby will be the first interior space most patrons will experience once past the main courtyard. The lobby will be a large, gracious space of stone flooring, beautiful chandeliers, grand staircase to the upper levels, and windows looking out to the Trione Courtyard and out to the landscape to the south. The anticipated installation for this interior improvement package is scheduled to be completed by January 2012.
Christpher Dinno, President Arminana, Sandy Weill, Dan Lanahan, and Ed Stolman enjoying the newly installed chairs.
Yet another milestone has been reached by the Green Music Center. The Weill Hall chairs are currently being installed, bringing us one step closer to the finalization of this amazing landmark. The custom fabricated concert hall chairs will replace the 350 temporary chairs currently being used for special events. Whether occupied or empty, each hand crafted seat remains acoustically neutral, adding to the overall sophistication of the Green Music Center. Every chair is equipped with a maroon cushion that is not only complementary to the overall look of the hall but extremely comfortable. For better audience viewing during performances, some of the steam beech maple wood chairs dispersed throughout the hall will be loose and easily adjusted to maximize the best sightlines.The anticipated 1400 seats should be finished by the end of this summer. Next on the agenda is the completion of the Lobby which is scheduled to be finished this upcoming fall.
Prelude at the Green Music Center is proud to host the Kenwood Winemaker Dinner on June 4th! Come and experience a perfectly prepared 5-course gourmet meal accompanied by an expertly paired wine from Kenwood Vineyards. This winemaker dinner is a perfect opportunity to learn about wine and explore new tastes. Reservations are $85 per person (not including tax or service charge) and may be made by calling (707)664-3517 or at prelude@sonoma.edu. Reservations are currently being accepted until May 27th. The menu can be found on the Prelude website. Click here for some photos from our Trione dinner.
We’re almost there! With the recent $12 million gift from Joan and Sanford Weill – including a $4 million match component – we are moving full speed ahead to launch the Fall 2012 first season of performancesin the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Hall.
Weill Hall
Already an incredible season of artists is lining up including our orchestra in residence, the Santa Rosa Symphony.
We know that you are as excited as we are that not only will the hall be complete, but both lawn venues! The first will be the south lawn that the back of the concert hall opens to for the full Tanglewood experience. It will be followed by the larger 10,000 seat commons area east of the hall.
Isn’t it gratifying that two newcomers to the community have recognized what countless others have known all along – the Green Music Center will have a transformative effect on the university and the community. And that they have made this remarkable donation to help us get this project complete – now!
Please consider this $4 million challenge from our generous new friends, Joan and Sandy Weill, and help us reach our goal by calling University Development at 707-664-3203. Your gift will be matched 1:1. Thank you!
Current entry to Green Music Center
The GMC courtyard is fully funded and the design and contract documents for this area are currently being completed for bid. The full build-out of this area is, but not limited to: To provide the main courtyard entry space and all related work for a complete installation. The main courtyard scope of work, which is named in honor of Madelyne Trione, will include stone pavers, landscape tree pockets including lawn areas and furniture elements. The main courtyard will be the site for pre-concert gathering of friends and colleagues and a soothing intermission location where patrons can enjoy refreshments and shared conversation. The anticipated installation for this scope of work is scheduled to be completed by spring 2012.
The Donald & Maureen Green Music Center 