School of Music & AOI Facilities

 
 The Catlett Music Center
The 25 million dollar Stanley B. Catlett, Sr. Music Center, completed in 1998, contains the School of Music administrative offices including the AOI Director's office, faculty offices and studios, rehearsal suites, classrooms, MIDI labs, the Grant Fine Arts Library, a recording studio, and three performance halls, including the Paul F. Sharp Concert Hall, Morris R. Pitman Recital Hall, and Grayce B. Kerr Gothic Hall. The Donald W. Reynolds Performing Arts Center houses faculty offices and the Auditorium, a theatrical stage used by the OU Opera Theater for its productions. Studios for the voice and piano faculty members are currently located in Carpenter Hall.

Several pipe organs are used for teaching and practice activitie and are maintained AOI technicians.  Included in the inventory of practice pipe organs are three Möllers, a Reuter and two Holtkamps.  The Paul F. Sharp Concert Hall will be the installed location for Möller Opus 5819 from the Philadelphia Municipal Auditorium (Philadelphia Convention & Civic Center).  Two music technology labs house state-of-the-art MIDI equipment which is maintained with the latest releases of software, computers, synthesizers, and peripheral equipment.

The School of Music is a fully accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music. The requirements for admission and graduation are in accordance with the published regulations of the N.A.S.M.

The Grayce B. Kerr Gothic Hall houses the Mildred Andrews Boggess Memorial Organ, a $750,000 3/44 pipe organ designed specifically for the School of Music by the C. B. Fisk Company. Also located in Kerr Gothic Hall, which also serves as a grand entrance to the School of Music and a lobby for the two other performance spaces in the Catlett Music Center, are the FACTS Box Office and a concession area. The Paul F. Sharp Concert Hall provides seating for 1,018 patrons to enjoy the remarkable acoustics and architectural beauty of this Prairie Gothic style performance space. The smaller Morris R. Pitman Recital Hall reflects many of the same architectural details of the Paul F. Sharp Concert Hall and creates an intimate environment for 125 patrons to enjoy faculty and student chamber music recitals and lectures. The Kerr Gothic Hall also serves as a performance space for organ and choral concerts.

Technology is a priority in the School of Music. Each classroom contains projection, audio/visual equipment and computer capabilities for demonstrations in lectures and presentations. In addition, pianos are provided in most classrooms. A state-of-the-art recording studio/electronic music laboratory features the latest computer and sound equipment, software, and recording devices for composition and individual recording sessions. All concerts and recitals at the School of Music are also recorded on state-of-the-art digital recording equipment for production of compact discs. Computer labs in the school contain equipment including iMac G5s, Kurzweil K2000 synthesizers, Kawai synthesizer modules, mixers, and the latest editions of music software, including Finale 2006, Digital Performer and music theory software. These labs are used in the instruction of music theory, composition, MIDI technology, and orchestration. Students are able to use the MIDI labs outside of class time for individual and class projects. Individual faculty studios and offices are also equipped with computers, synthesizers, and stereo equipment to aid in teaching and research. In addition, the school houses two piano labs containing Yahama keyboards and interactive teaching technologies. 

 


The American Organ Institute's Pipe Shop
The American Organ Institute's Pipe Shop provides a unique resource to the University of Oklahoma's program.  No other facility like it exists anywhere in the world.  The shop's prime purpose initially will be to undertake the restoration to support the installation of of Moller Opus 5819.  Additionally it will serve as a laboratory and training facility for organ majors studying at OU.  It is designed to facilitate practical hands-on learning in order that the creative spirit can be fertilized.  Experienced pipe organ technicians will guide students through the disassembly, restoration, releathering, reassembly, and testing of pipe organ mechanical actions. 

The Pipe Shop occupies 5,000 square feet of floor space and includes a 30' high ceiling and a standard truck loading dock.  Men's and women's restrooms along with a kitchenette area including a refrigerator and microwave are available.  In addition to the Manager's Office there is a 12' x 14' by 20' high voicing room, a 12' x 10' storage room for supplies, hardware, and hand tools, and a 12' x 12' clean room for releathering and detailed rebuilding operations.  A 10' x 2' x 1' deep dual-compartment stainless steel pipe washing sink and laundry equipment for cleaning rags will facilitate the restoration of old pipework.  A high velocity airflow sawdust collection system connected to each of the stationary power tools and down-draft sanding table extracts cuttings and dust from the building for collection and proper disposal outdoors.

The shop includes fully accessorized state-of-the-art commercial woodworking tools including a 10" table saw, 12" radial arm saw, 15" planer, 8" jointer, 6" x 80" edge belt sander, oscillating 6" drum and disk sander, 20" variable speed drill press, 31" radial drill press, and 10" slow-speed grinder.  A high air exchange filtered 12' x 12' x 8' paint spray booth with 825,000 BTU make-up air heater will permit all wooden components to be refinished in a safe and environmentally friendly manner.  A Blast-N-Peen glass beading cabinet and Empire bucket Blaster will expedite the cleaning of screws and metal components.  A 7-1/2 horsepower Ingersoll-Rand rotary screw compressor with air dryer will supply compressed air for shop activities, pneumatic tools, the glass beader and bucket blaster.

Two one-ton portable gantry cranes with manual chain falls and assorted sling sizes provide proper lifting capability within the shop area and adjacent pipe organ storage area.  A Pexto 48" foot shear for cutting leather along with a Manufacturer's Supplies Company leather skiver will facilitate releathering operations.  A Kinetic Engineering Company pipe organ blower has been fitted with modern high-speed roller thrust bearings and variable-frequency drive and motor to supply shop pipe organ wind at static pressures to suit the rebuild testing of any chest design or voicing room activity.

In addition to pipe shop activities, students will participate in the maintenance of OU instruments and selected area installations that are under contract with AOI for maintenance and tunings.  Modern pipe organ building requires familiarity with CAD design software, CNC machine tools, and an understanding of pipe organ materials and application.  The American Organ Institute's Pipe Shop is not a competitor to established pipe organ builders and maintenance organizations but rather serves to provide education and training to those wishing to follow a career path associated with pipe organ design, construction, installation, and maintenance.  Our alliances with major pipe organ manufacturers will insure students are exposed to state of the art techniques, processes, and training.