State-Of-The-Art Recital Hall Unveiled At Utah State University

State-Of-The-Art Recital Hall Unveiled At Utah State University


Utah State University President Kermit L. Hall announced that the largest individual gift in the university's history would allow construction of a world-class recital hall that will become a signature building, a facility he called an icon to aesthetic beauty and model of commitment to the arts.

At the conclusion of his State of the University address Wednesday (Jan. 14), Hall honored the two donors, sisters Kathryn Caine Wanlass and Manon Caine Russell, for their life-long love for the arts and for their generous donation to the estimated $8.5 million recital hall. This initial gift is approximately $6.3 million.

"We are extremely grateful to Kathryn Wanlass and Manon Russell for their generosity and vision," Hall said. "This new recital hall adds greatly to the intellectual and cultural life of our campus and the arts community in the region. The prestige that this facility will bring adds to our growing reputation as a university."

The recital hall is the centerpiece of the developing School of the Arts, a program in the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. The 14,000-square-foot building will be constructed west of the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art on campus. The hall will feature an intimate seating arrangement for approximately 400 patrons, said Gary Kiger, dean of the college. Design plans for the recital hall are under way and many of the details are still under consideration, Kiger said.

But he is certain of one fact: the recital hall will be a world-class facility, rich in acoustic quality and architectural design.

"It will be a premier performing arts facility, a model of innovative design with distinct and obvious commitment to the highest standards of quality," Kiger said. "It will be a reflection of Kathryn and Manon’s passion for distinctive aesthetics that will enhance the character of the university and the region."

With that goal in mind, Sasaki Associates Inc. was selected as architect for the project. The firm's internationally renowned and award-winning designs ensure that the new recital hall will be among the best in the country, Kiger said. A state architectural firm will be involved in the project as well.

Sasaki Associates has design experience around the world and has been involved in arts facilities at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, the LaSalle Institute College of the Arts in Singapore, Merrimack College’s Rogers Center for the Arts in North Andover, Mass., and the Evergreen Valley College Performing/Visual Arts Center in San Jose, Calif., among others. The firm has been recognized with a number of awards, most recently with the first-place award in the international design competition for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Sasaki also won a top prize for the Wukesong Cultural and Sports Center — the Olympic venue in China for basketball, baseball and softball. The firm has been involved in completing a master plan for the Utah State campus.

Utah State Provost Stan Albrecht, who has worked closely with the family over a number of years, said the generous gift creates the principal, initial contribution to the college's School of the Arts. The School of the Arts will become a community of the arts among faculty and students while showcasing excellence in artistic programming and creativity in partnership with the community, he said. The recital hall will provide benefits both to current students and to future generations of students.

"The benefits of this gift will be experienced in perpetuity," Albrecht said. "We want to thank Kathryn Caine Wanlass and Manon Caine Russell for the generous gift that will make this world-class recital hall possible. This premier performance venue will make an enormous difference in the academic, professional and personal lives of our faculty and students."

Kiger said the construction of the recital hall was a priority for the School of the Arts. "Although the school is much more than buildings, the recital hall moves us closer to becoming a premier arts program," he said. "This facility will allow us to continue to attract the very best students, outstanding faculty and stellar performers."

Wanlass and Russell have a long association with the university and are long-time supporters of its programs, according to Julie Pitcher, director of development for the college.

"Kathryn and Manon have a long-time commitment to giving to the arts, ranging from student scholarships to visiting artists, programming and the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art," Pitcher said. "Indeed, their family has a long-standing record of contributions to Utah State. They have made an enormous difference in the quality and vitality of the arts in this region."

The women have strong family ties to the university. Their grandfather, John T. Caine, was instrumental in establishing the university in Logan. Their father, George, headed Utah State's dairy husbandry department for 39 years. And their mother, Marie Eccles Caine, planted the seeds for a life-long interest in the arts.

Both women studied at Utah State University. Wanlass studied at the school for a year before completing a bachelor's degree at Stanford University. Russell completed a bachelor’s degree in English at Utah State and a master’s degree at Stanford. Wanlass received an honorary degree from Utah State in 1995, and Russell was honored by the Utah State Alumni Association with a Distinguished Service Award in 2001.

Wanlass and Russell said their parents cultivated their strong interest in arts and humanities throughout their lives, and the Caine family has had long ties at many levels with Utah State. The recital hall is a gift to enhance to the educational distinction of the university and further the arts for a long time.

"We want the recital hall to be a beautiful, vibrant place that will enrich educational life at Utah State," Russell said. "It will showcase music primarily but also provide a place for visiting artists, theater and master classes."

Wanlass and Russell said they are pleased and privileged to help fill the needs of the School of the Arts.

"We feel privileged to be able to supply something so immensely useful to the new School of the Arts," Wanlass added. "So many wonderful musicians and artists visit the university, and it is indeed a pleasure for the two of us to provide a recital hall equal to their world-class talents."

Groundbreaking will take place some time this spring with an anticipated completion date of December 2005.

Contacts: Kermit L. Hall, 435-797-1157
Gary Kiger, 435-797-1195
Julie Pitcher, 435-797-3662
Writer: Tim Vitale (435) 797-1356 [tim.vitale@usu.edu]
Photos by Donna Barry