The public is invited to tour the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s new state-of-the-art home for the Glenn Korff School of Music during an open house set for August 22 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at 10th and ‘Q’ streets.
The event will be followed by the Cornhusker Marching Band’s annual exhibition at 7 p.m. in Memorial Stadium. Both events are free and open to the public. The open house will feature self-guided tours with faculty, staff and students on hand to answer questions. Those attending the open house should enter the building at the southwest entrance.
The new Westbrook Music Building replaces the former facility of the same name, which opened in 1967 at 11th and R streets. The 103,000-square-feet, new facility officially opened in May and will host classes for the first time this fall. The building provides ample daylight and more access to social spaces than the previous facility.
“We didn’t just build a facility — we created a platform for a new era of innovation, interdisciplinarity and artistic excellence,” said Felix Olschofka, director of the School of Music. “I invite our alumni and the entire community to come see this beautiful new home for the Glenn Korff School of Music.”
New building amenities include:
- An immersive performance hall, featuring retractable seating for 175 people, technology for audio immersion, and high-definition video conferencing/streaming technology.
- A recording studio equipped with high-fidelity recording equipment, real-time mixing and mastering, and integration with virtual reality tools.
- Two large rehearsal rooms (for band and choir), a percussion rehearsal space, music library, 16 classrooms, 41 practice rooms and 65 offices.
Both the immersive performance space and recording studio will provide opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration within the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts and across the university, including theatre and sound engineering.
Phase two of construction is currently underway. The south side of the original Westbrook Music Building will be renovated and connected to the new building, providing additional office and classroom space. The north side of the original structure is set to be demolished.
Landscaping will be installed to connect the new music building to the arts quadrangle. The entire project will be completed in spring 2026.
“I am truly excited to welcome back our community and alumni to experience our new space — a place designed to inspire creativity, collaboration and connection. It’s exciting to imagine all the possibilities this new home will open up for everyone,” Olschofka said.
The new building was made possible with $75 million in support from the Nebraska Legislature through LB384. Architects for the building were BNIM of Kansas City and Sinclair Hille Architects of Lincoln. The construction manager was Hausmann Construction. The acoustical engineering consultant was Kirkegaard.