Jane and Laurence Glazer Music Performance Center Announced at Nazareth College
Nazareth College officially broke ground today and announced plans to build the Jane and Laurence Glazer Music Performance Center, a $15.5 million dollar, 550-seat music venue, named after the late Jane and Larry Glazer, a beloved couple who was well-known to Nazareth and the Rochester community for their entrepreneurial spirit in helping rebuild downtown. The Glazer's three children generously gave to fund the performance center (from Jane and Laurence Glazer Charitable Trust) in memory of their parents. In addition to many other private donations, the project also received a total of $1.5 million in support from Senator Rich Funke and from Empire State Development through the Regional Economic Development Council. The Center is expected to open during spring 2018.
"Nazareth was a very special place for our parents, and our family thought that remembering them through music was a perfect way to honor their memory," said Kenneth Glazer. "As a member of the Nazareth board, our mother Jane always supported the music programs at the College, and we know how important this building is to train future musicians as well as provide a place for the entire community to enjoy professional music."
"It is fitting to have this state-of-the art music center named after Jane and Larry Glazer," said Nazareth President Daan Braveman. "As an alumna of Nazareth and a board member for the College, Jane was passionate about supporting the arts at her alma mater. She and Larry were visionaries in the business community with an unmatched passion for building a better Rochester. It's an honor to have a permanent way to remember their legacy on our campus."
The Center will be engineered for a premier acoustic experience that will support the high-caliber performances of the students and faculty while enhancing quality of life for the community. It will be specifically designed for the acoustics of large instrumental ensembles. The existing Linehan Chapel is designed for choral music and the Arts Center's Wilmot Recital Hall will continue to host solo and chamber music recitals.
For the past three years, the Department of Music has enrolled the second-highest number of new students at Nazareth. 17-percent of the Nazareth student body is pursuing the study of music, and the new music hall will enable the College to accommodate those students who want to pursue careers in music performance, music education, music therapy and music business. The College started a new Master of Music in performance and pedagogy and is launching a bachelor's degree in composition in 2017.
An extension of the Nazareth College Arts Center, the new performance center will be a vibrant and vital addition to Nazareth College and the region, providing the highest caliber performance space with a premier acoustic experience. The new venue's shape, volume, and surface construction will align to achieve a level of sound reverberation that enhances and clarifies the beauty of the music.
"Nazareth's reputation for music is strong in the Rochester region, and providing this high-caliber performance space for current and future students is a wonderful way to attract and hopefully keep young talent in our area," said Senator Rich Funke. "I know Larry and Jane Glazer would be honored to have this center at Nazareth named after them, honoring the work they started to keep the Rochester region a vibrant center for the arts.
Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council Executive Director Vincent Esposito echoed that sentiment and said, 'The Regional Council is incredibly honored to support the Jane and Laurence Glazer Music Performance Center at Nazareth College. The venue will not only enhance student life, but will be a true asset for the entire community to enjoy. The Glazer's worked tirelessly to ensure that the true potential of this community would be realized. This facility is a wonderful way to recognize their vision and to thank them for making the region a better place. "
The new center also provides potential for expanded, enriched academic programming and community programs and collaborations including the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO). Nazareth College already partners with the RPO, Rochester Lyric Opera, Rochester Oratorio Society, and Rochester Piano Teacher's Guild. More than 400 community members participate in music at Nazareth through offerings like Bach Children's Chorus, individualized music instruction, early childhood music education, performing ensembles, summer camps and special workshops and retreats.
For More Information
Julie Long | Chief PR Officer | 585-389-2456 or jlong2@naz.edu
Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for nearly 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.
