Facilities
The School of Music and Dance offers a wide range of specialized spaces for rehearsals of small and large ensembles, dance studios, Pilates reformer room, classrooms, a state of the art electronic music studio and multi-media lab.
The School is the first performing arts program in the CSU to offer an in-house, Internet2 capable Global Performance Lab that enables real-time master classes and synchronous performance feedback via specialized high-speed bandwidth, thus enabling students and faculty to work with artists located throughout the globe in real time.
Performance Venues
Smith Recital Hall
Smith Recital Hall seats 300 patrons and has a large raised stage with a full set of theatrical drapes, cyclorama, recording/sound reinforcement systems, computerized lighting and sound shell. The stage houses a 9-foot Steinway, a 9-foot Baldwin, a manual harpsichord, and a six foot grand designated for prepared piano works.
Rhapsody Hall (M113)
Rhapsody Hall is a multi-use performance space that is utilized for choral rehearsals, student recitals, and large classes that require the use of its projection and sound equipment capabilities. The space seats 200 and includes a 9-foot Steinway.
Dance Studio Theatre (ENS 200)
This facility provides an intimate venue to showcase dance performances by students, faculty, and visiting dance artists. With telescoping and floor level seating, the Studio Theatre accommodates approximately 95 audience members. It is equipped with theatrical drapes, Marley dance floor, sound system, theatrical lighting system, green room, makeup room and a control booth. The Studio Theatre serves as the performance venue for Senior Dance Concerts, University Dance Company and other performances presented by alumni, local, or touring dance companies.
The Main Stage
The largest theatre on campus, the Main Stage is the primary performance space for School of Theatre, Television and Film productions. Music and dance events are also scheduled in the facility, which seats 350 audience members.
Large Rehearsal Spaces
Dance Studio 380 (ENS 380)
Studio 380 is an open space frequently used for techniques classes, rehearsals and student practice. Inside Studio 380 is the Pliates Reformer Room.
Instrumental Rehearsal (M114)
M114 is a large dedicated space used exclusively for instrumental ensemble rehearsals including orchestra, bands, and jazz bands.
Rhapsody Hall (M113)
Rhapsody Hall is a multi-use performance space that is utilized for choral rehearsals, student recitals, and large classes that require the use of its projection and sound equipment capabilities. The space seats 200.
M20 Studio
M20 is a large multi-purpose space that can be used for dance, opera, world music and small ensemble rehearsals or classes.
Specialized Facilities
SDSU Sound Laboratory
The SDSU Sound Laboratory is pioneering the future of auditory experiences. Within this unique facility, audio technologists and musicians collaborate to create the next generation of immersive augmented sonic reality, transforming sounds as they happen to expand our musical experiences.
Love Library
The primary holdings of the university for music and dance materials are located within Love Library.
Digital Keyboard Labs
The School of Music has two, state-of-the-art Roland digital keyboard labs that are utilized for all class piano courses. These digital instruments offer weighted keyboard action, sequencing and recording capability, sampled sounds, arranging capability and multi-track output.
Electronic Music Studio (EMS)
The electronic music studio is a continually upgraded, full-featured facility for the study of sound design, audio production and integration with video. All workstations are Macintosh powered and feature Pro-Tools capability.
Design Philosophy: provide students access to a pro-level facility for composition, recording and sound design with up-to-date and state-of-the-art hardware and software. The studio is available for students enrolled in the electro-acoustic composition course sequence.
Facility Description: The studio contains 4 workstations, and is connected to an isolation booth with studio drum kit, and a main recording room with Steinway 7 ft. grand piano and Internet2 high speed internet gateway for simultaneous distributed recording sessions and performances. Workstation details.
Gamelan Room
The Indonesian Gamelan is housed in M119 and dedicated entirely to the study and performance of this intriguing and influential world music tradition.
The Global Performance Lab
Adjacent to the Electronic Music Studio is the School’s newest lab space featuring high-speed connectivity suitable for live, synchronous online master classes, performances and other events via Internet2 with artists located across the world.
Jazz Combo Room
The jazz combo room is used exclusively by the jazz studies combos and includes complete recording, surround sound speaker system, audio/visual capabilities, a new Steinway grand, drumset, vibraphone, other related gear and a jazz improvisation library.
Music Education Laboratory Classrooms
Two rooms are equipped specifically for music education and liberal studies classes. One is equipped with 35 Yamaha keyboard stations. Both are roomy and permit movement-based learning and training in content such as Orff-Schulwerk and integrating music within other curricular structures and teaching contexts. A special office has also been reserved for the use of California Music Project fellows and graduate assistant.
Multimedia Lab (M227)
The multimedia lab is located on the second floor of the music building and offers 24 Macintosh work-stations that each contain MIDI synthesizers. Additionally the lab contains graphic scanning stations, and networked printers. Additional information.
Practice Rooms
Practice rooms for keyboard majors (six rooms containing grand pianos) are located on the second floor of the music building. Forty basement practice rooms are available at all times the building is open and offer a mixture of rooms with or without keyboard instruments. Sign up times are only required for the grand pianos on the second floor - all others are open as available. A second floor studio is also available for small ensemble rehearsals and must be reserved in advance.
All practice and rehearsal spaces in the Music and Dance buildings are open to majors and minors only.
