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Written by: Coral Gables

The Future of Music in Coral Gables

the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami ushers in a new future for music with the completion of the Knight Center for Music Innovation, a $36.5 million, 25,000-square-foot cutting-edge performance and technology innovation hub. Designed by H3, an Arquitectonica Company, the new building will match the extraordinary talents of the Frost School’s students, faculty, and alumni, and reflect the innovation that has been a hallmark of the school since its founding nearly 100 years ago and its naming back in 2003. 

Dean Shelton (Shelly) G. Berg of the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami said, “The future of music is the future that musicians will be able to create for themselves. We’ve always enabled our students to imagine the possibilities that will shape and guide their futures and get hands-on, real-world experience. To all of us at the Frost School, that is what sets an elite music school apart from others and helps ensure our path forward in continuing to forge new educational and professional opportunities for the next generation of groundbreaking musicians, music industry professionals, music educators, and others. As the No. 1 music school in Florida, we’re thrilled that the new Knight Center for Music Innovation here on our campus reinforces Miami as a world-class music destination and a highly desirable place for students to learn and grow as artists, educators, and professionals.”

Made possible thanks in large part to a naming gift from The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Knight Center for Music Innovation was built to cultivate and sustain the promise of the future of music innovation, no matter how technology evolves and correlates to music performance and education. The building features two dynamic performance spaces: the Robert and Judi Prokop Newman Recital Hall, a world-class, 200-seat performance theater with superior acoustics, and the Thomas D. Hormel Music Innovation Stage, a versatile innovation space equipped with advanced recording, lighting, and broadcast technology. Both spaces serve as training grounds and innovation centers for students enrolled at the Frost School and the faculty members who guide and set the tone for the future of musicians. University of Miami students, members of the community, and others can enjoy performances in both spaces, as well as via a state-of-the-art technology Windowcast system that broadcasts live performances for all to enjoy in the surrounding plaza.

University of Miami President Julio Frenk added, “The Frost School of Music is a distinctive and distinguished center of excellence at the University of Miami, thanks in part to the trailblazing leadership of Dean Shelly Berg and an unwavering focus on shaping the future of music as it has evolved during the school’s nearly 100-year history. The new Knight Center for Music Innovation is a physical manifestation of the promise of an education at one of the nation’s top 10 music schools, while also reaffirming the University of Miami as the place for students, Miami residents and visitors, and others to enjoy a wealth of high-caliber musical offerings by emerging and world-renowned musicians.” 

On Thurs., Nov. 2, the University of Miami Board of Trustees, Frost School of Music Dean’s Advisory Committee Members, and other distinguished guests will come together to celebrate the official opening of the Knight Center for Music Innovation with a star-studded gala, with the theme of “Shaping the Future of Music.” The prestigious event will feature performances by esteemed Frost School alumni, appearances by renowned artists and industry leaders, and the presentation of the inaugural Frost Centennial Medals. Confirmed performers and medal recipients include GRAMMY-award winner Jon Secada; record producer, songwriter, and music executive Matt Serletic; GRAMMY-award winning songwriter and actor Dawnn Lewis; GRAMMY-nominated jazz singer, composer, and arranger Carmen Lundy; GRAMMY-award winning drummer, producer, and engineer Lee Levin; and GRAMMY-award winning producer and Frost School Advisory Board Member Emilio Estefan, among others. GRAMMY award-winning singer, actress, songwriter, and author Gloria Estefan will serve as the emcee for the event.

The “Shaping the Future of Music” gala is part of a week-long series of special programs and performances that begin on Sat., Oct. 28 and run through Sun., Nov. 5. Spotlight events taking place for University of Miami students, local residents, South Florida visitors, and others to enjoy include a Frost Symphony Orchestra performance, conducted by Maestro Gerard Schwarz, and a Halloween-inspired big band performance by the Frost Studio Jazz Band, directed by Etienne Charles, both broadcast on the exterior of the Knight Center for Music Innovation; and Frost Tech Day, which showcases the evolution of the musical landscape and depicts how the Hormel Innovation Stage will serve as a laboratory for artistic and musical creation now and into the future. The grand opening celebration concludes with CAM FEST, featuring a concert showcase by the Creative American Music (CAM) program’s award-winning group, AME! SUN. More information on the grand opening celebration events, including dates, times, and ticket prices, is available at frost-music-live.miami.edu.

To date, the Frost School has raised more than $36 million to support the construction and ongoing development of the Knight Center for Music Innovation. Individuals and organizations who donated $1 million or more in support of the new building include: The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation,  the Robert and Judi Newman Family Foundation, Miller Family Foundation, Thomas D. Hormel Trust, Paul J. DiMare Foundation, The David and Dorothy Weaver Foundation, James M. Collins Foundation, Christian Family Fellowship Foundation,  Sasha and Edward Bass, Marta Weeks Wulf, C and A Johnson Family Foundation, Patti and Allan Herbert, and two additional donors who wish to remain anonymous.

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Tags: Last modified: October 8, 2023