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Tours

1. Music, Theatre, and Dance Self-Guided Tour

   Tour the fabulous music and theatre venues and facilities

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   1. Mason Hall

      Mason Hall is the home of Fredonia’s world-renowned School of Music, where students experience a conservatory-level education at an affordable SUNY cost. Known for excellence, innovation, and consistency, the School of Music attracts students from around the world who are passionate about performance, education, composition, sound recording, and more.

      Building Features

      Mason Hall is equipped with exceptional spaces for practice, rehearsal, and performance:

      • Rosch Recital Hall – A premier performance space hosting concerts, faculty recitals, and guest artists

      • Diers Recital Hall – An intimate venue for student recitals and chamber music

      • Sound Recording Technology (SRT) Studios – Industry-standard facilities for recording, mixing, and production

      • Mason 1075 & 1080 Rehearsal Rooms – Large ensemble rehearsal spaces used daily by bands, choirs, and orchestras

      • 100+ Practice Rooms – Many  practice rooms have large windows looking out on campus; available for all students, ensuring ample access for individual preparation and collaboration

      Why It Matters

      • Music Education: Our program boasts a 100% job placement rate, preparing graduates to lead in classrooms across New York State and beyond.

      • Graduate Success: The Master of Music in Music Education (M.M.) has been recognized among the Top 50 nationwide, underscoring Fredonia's reputation for training outstanding educators.

      • Performance Opportunities: With over 300 performances each year, students gain stage experience in solo, chamber, ensemble, and large-scale productions.

      Outcomes That Matter

      Fredonia School of Music graduates excel in a wide variety of fields:

      • Performers who appear on professional stages worldwide

      • Educators who teach at every level are supported by Fredonia’s unmatched placement record

      • Composers, conductors, and sound engineers are shaping the future of music across industries

      • Graduate students accepted into top programs nationally and internationally, furthering their studies with confidence and preparation

   2. Diers Recital Hall

      Diers Recital Hall is an intimate 206-seat venue located within Mason Hall, providing an ideal setting for student recitals, studio performances, chamber music groups, and more.

      Although compact, Diers plays a vital role in Fredonia’s musical life: it hosts solo and small-ensemble recitals, voice performances, chamber concerts, and pedagogical studio recitals. Many required and elective student recitals are scheduled here, particularly for junior or first-certification recitals. 

      Beyond Diers, the School of Music supports student work in two Music Technology Labs located in Mason rooms 2016 and 2017. These labs house 30 Apple iMacs, each hooked to a multitimbral MIDI synthesizer. 

      Students use the labs for ear-training, notation, composition, and technology-based coursework (e.g. MUED 291/292). hey are open many hours per week, and a schedule of open-lab times is posted outside each lab.

   3. Rosch Recital Hall

      The Juliet J. Rosch Recital Hall is a 500-seat concert venue designed with exceptional acoustics for live performance. It supports a wide range of music-making on campus, including solo recitals, chamber groups, large instrumental and vocal ensembles, and faculty and guest artist concerts—all with professional backstage areas and facilities that also serve Fredonia's Sound Recording Technology program.

      Rosch is part of a network of performance spaces that includes Diers Recital Hall, King Concert Hall, and the theatres inside Rockefeller Arts Center. Beyond the stage, students have access to more than 100 practice rooms, each equipped with a piano, as well as dedicated rehearsal spaces for both small ensembles and large groups.

   4. Sound Recording Technology (SRT) Studio

      Fredonia’s Sound Recording Technology Studio is a state-of-the-art facility created through collaboration among educators, audio professionals, and industry designers. The space is fully isolated from outside noise—including ventilation, lighting, and nearby activity in Mason Hall—allowing for pristine recording conditions.

      The studio includes a professional control room, two live performance rooms, and an equipment room with advanced mechanical and electronic systems. It supports Fredonia’s Bachelor of Science in Sound Recording Technology, one of only a handful of undergraduate programs of its kind in the nation.

      Students gain hands-on experience by engineering recordings for soloists, chamber groups, and large ensembles, as well as collaborating on faculty and guest artist projects. They graduate with both technical expertise and a professional portfolio that helps launch careers in recording, broadcasting, live sound, and related fields.

      Fredonia Sound Recording Technology alumni have gone on to work at leading studios, record labels, and live sound companies nationwide.

   5. Mason 1075 Rehearsal Room

      The Robert and Marilyn Maytum Music Rehearsal Halls, Mason 1075 and Mason 1080, are the most recent additions to Mason Hall. Located at the north end of Mason, they were designed and built specifically to accommodate large band and orchestral groups, which have grown to as many as 120 members.

   6. Rockefeller Arts Center spaces

      The Michael C. Rockefeller Arts Center is Fredonia’s hub for the visual and performing arts, home to theatres, galleries, and studios that support a wide range of creative activity. Recent renovations expanded production and studio spaces, providing students and faculty with professional-quality facilities.

      Production & Studio Spaces

      • Scene paint shop

      • Ceramics studio with indoor and outdoor kilns

      • Welding and foundry area

      • Makeup classroom

      • Production dressing rooms

      Visual Arts Labs

      • Computer lab

      • Lighting and sound lab

      • Design and drafting studio

      • Drawing studio

      • Shooting studio

   7. Merrins Dance Theatre

      Located on the second floor of the Rockefeller Arts Center, the James & Marcia Merrins Dance Theatre is a bright, flexible space designed for both rehearsal and performance. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the studio with natural light, creating an inspiring atmosphere for movement, choreography, and learning.

      With seating for 91 audience members, it serves as a fully equipped theatre for student concerts, choreography showcases, and public performances.

      Student Opportunities & Usage

      • Hosts the Merrins Fall Chamber Concert, a student dance concert series.

      • Serves as the spring showcase stage for the student-run dance company Orchesis, presenting a wide range of styles including contemporary, jazz, hip hop, and tap.

      • Provides a venue for senior projects, choreography presentations, and guest-artist performances, giving students real-world stage experience.

      Did You Know?

      • The theatre is central to Fredonia’s Dance BFA and Dance BS programs, giving students a professional setting to share their work with live audiences.

      • Its design emphasizes intimacy and versatility, with natural light enhancing both rehearsal energy and performance atmosphere.

      • Many alumni trace their confidence on stage to their early experiences performing in Merrins Dance Theatre.

   8. King Concert Hall

      Named for Fredonia professor, violinist, and academic dean Harry A. King, King Concert Hall is the largest of Fredonia's five performance venues and a centerpiece of the Rockefeller Arts Center. With seating for 1,145 patrons, including wheelchair-accessible spaces, it serves as the primary stage for Fredonia's major music ensembles, the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, guest artists, and large university events.

      The hall’s design strikes a balance between power and intimacy: its 60-foot stage is equipped with a hydraulic orchestra pit, and its acoustics make it ideal for symphonic, choral, and chamber music performances. The space also hosts the DFT Communications Pops Series, convocations, and lectures, making it one of the most versatile venues on campus.

      At the rear of the stage stands a striking Schlicker pipe organ with more than 2,400 pipes. Portions of the instrument date back to Fredonia's early years as a teacher's college in downtown Fredonia, creating a living connection to the university's history.

   9. Bartlett Theatre

      Bartlett Theatre is Fredonia's experimental "black box" performance space, designed for flexibility and innovation. With a maximum capacity of 225 seats, the theatre can be reconfigured for each production, with seating often arranged on three or four sides to create an intimate, immersive experience, sometimes referred to as “theatre in the round."

      Student Opportunities & Usage

      • Serves as a laboratory for student-directed projects, experimental productions, and senior capstones.

      • Provides a platform for contemporary plays and smaller-scale productions that emphasize creativity and close audience connection.

      • Complements the Walter Gloor Mainstage Theatre, also located in Rockefeller Arts Center, which is a more traditional proscenium stage designed for large-scale productions.

      Did You Know?

      • Because Bartlett is a genuine black box, every production can feel completely different—walls, risers, and entrances can be rearranged to match the director's vision.

      • The theatre is named in honor of Alice E. Bartlett, a beloved associate professor of theatre and assistant dean whose commitment to the arts left a lasting legacy at Fredonia.

   10. Marvel Theatre

       Marvel Theatre is a 369-seat, handicap-accessible proscenium theatre that ranks among the best-designed and best-equipped small theatres in upstate New York. Excellent sightlines ensure that every seat has a clear view of the stage, and a hydraulic orchestra pit can accommodate up to 43 musicians.

       It is the primary performance space for Fredonia’s Department of Theatre and Dance and hosts signature events such as the annual Hillman Opera, the Fredonia Dance Ensemble concert, and the Playground Drama Camp for young performers.

       Student Opportunities & Usage

       • Theatre and Dance majors gain hands-on experience in all aspects of production, from acting, directing, and choreography to lighting, set construction, and stage management.

       • Students participate in full-scale musicals, operas, and dance concerts, preparing them for professional careers in the performing arts.

       • Marvel's professional-grade equipment and stage house offer students the opportunity to train on industry-standard systems.

       Theatre Features

       • Proscenium: 40 feet wide by 28 feet high

       • Stage: 39 feet deep, with 10 feet of wing space on either side

       • Stage grid: 58 feet above stage level

       • Trap doors available for productions

       • 48 single-purchase counterweight line sets

       Did You Know?

       • Marvel Theatre's design combines intimacy with technical sophistication, making it a favorite for both student and professional-level productions.

       • The theatre is named in honor of Robert W. Marvel, a former music professor, composer, and dean of Fine and Performing Arts who championed the arts at Fredonia.

   11. Marion Art Gallery

       The Cathy and Jesse Marion Art Gallery, located in the Michael C. Rockefeller Arts Center, is dedicated to exhibiting and interpreting modern and contemporary art. Its programs support Fredonia's mission to enrich audiences through scholarship, artistic expression, and community engagement.

       The gallery presents group and solo exhibitions by artists ranging from regional talent to internationally recognized names, often accompanied by exhibition catalogs. Programming includes gallery talks, lectures, workshops, and seminars that connect students and the community directly with artists and scholars.

       Student Opportunities & Usage

       • Hands-on experience assisting with exhibition planning, installation, and curation.

       • A biennial student showcase and three annual senior thesis exhibitions highlight student work.

       • The adjoining Emmitt Christian Gallery offers rotating, self-curated exhibitions by student artists, with new shows every two weeks during the academic year.

       Did You Know?

       • The Marion Art Gallery has hosted nationally touring exhibitions and original commissions, providing students with access to a professional gallery environment on campus.

   12. Outdoor Amphitheatre

       Tucked into the quad between Reed Library, McEwen Hall, and Mason Hall, the Outdoor Amphitheatre provides an open-air stage for performances, rehearsals, and student-driven expression. 

       Student clubs and informal ensembles frequently use the space for impromptu performances, while the School of Music schedules rehearsals or outdoor concerts there during favorable weather conditions. 

       Student Opportunities & Usage

       • Offers a venue for outdoor recitals, ensemble performances, and collaborative student projects.

       • Gives students experience producing and managing performances in nontraditional settings (sound, staging, weather contingency).

       • Acts as a bridge between indoor performance spaces and campus life by bringing music and arts into campus open spaces.

       Recent Improvements & Accessibility

       One of the recent renovations made the main stage accessible, ensuring that performers with mobility needs can move on and off the stage more comfortably.

       Did You Know?

       • Student organizations and campus departments can reserve the amphitheatre via the Campus Life office.