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{{Short description|Concert hall on the campus of Eastern Michigan University}}
{{Primary sources|date=April 2010}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024|cs1-dates=ly}}
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{{coord|42|14|47.06|N|83|37|17.38|W|display=title}}
[[Image:pease auditorium.JPG|thumb|250px|right|Pease Auditorium]]
'''Pease Auditorium''' is a music venue on the campus of [[Eastern Michigan University]] in [[Ypsilanti, Michigan]]. Built in 1914, Pease auditorium is the 4th oldest standing building on Eastern Michigan University's campus. The auditorium was constructed in 1914 for $243,963. For the time, that was a considerable amount of money. Today Pease is home to the university's music performances and as well as some performing arts productions. With a seating capacity of 1,700, Pease is a prime spot for many events held by the community.<ref>http://www.emich.edu/walkingtour/pease.htm</ref>


{{infobox venue
⚫
== History of the music department at Eastern Michigan University==
| name =
Teaching of music began at Michigan State Normal School in the second year of operation. In 1881, the State Board of Education authorized the creation of a Conservatory of Music, located on a site where Boone Hall now stands (across from the water tower, on cross st.). Because of this new modern building, the music program began to grow and thrive at Michigan State Normal School. When more music students came to learn and perform at MSNC, the administration decided that the conservatory of music was not sufficient anymore for the current demand the college was drawing for music. The board of regents hired [[Smith, Hinchman, & Grylls]], Detroit to construct the building. After taking about three years to complete, Pease auditorium would now house musical events of all kinds. The music program continued to grow. The music program today has about 1,100 students at Eastern Michigan University and has classes in Alexander hall as well as Pease auditorium.<ref>http://www.emich.edu/music/about/history.html</ref>
| image = PeaseAuditoriumEMUYpsilantiMI.jpg
| address = 494 College Place
| city = [[Ypsilanti, Michigan]]
| country = [[United States]]
⚫
| coordinates = {{coord|42|14|47.06|N|83|37|17.38|W|display=inline,title}}
| capacity = 1541
| opened = {{start date and age|1915|06|22}}
| expanded = 1995
| architect = [[SmithGroup|Smith, Hinchman & Grylls]]
| embedded = {{Infobox NRHP
| nrhp_type = nrhp
| architecture = Classical Revival
| added = 1984
| refnum = 84000018
| embed=yes
}}
}}'''Pease Auditorium''' is a concert hall on the campus of [[Eastern Michigan University]] in [[Ypsilanti, Michigan]]. The auditorium was dedicated in 1915 in memory of music professor Frederic H. Pease, at the institution then known as the Michigan State Normal College, and is the fourth-oldest building on the EMU campus. Pease Auditorium is in the [[Neoclassical architecture#United States|Neoclassical Revival]] architectural style, and was designed by the Detroit-based firm [[SmithGroup|Smith, Hinchman, and Grylls]]. The auditorium's 1500-seat capacity and excellent acoustics contribute to its reputation as a premier music venue, presenting the performances of the Eastern Michigan University Department of Music and Dance.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pease Auditorium Technical Information |url=https://www.emich.edu/bookemu/venues/pease/tech-info/index.php |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=BookEMU |publisher=Eastern Michigan University |language=English}}</ref>


Pease Auditorium was built to accommodate a large [[pipe organ]], but no such organ was fitted when the auditorium opened. An 81-rank [[Aeolian-Skinner]] organ was installed in the early 1960s, and was fully restored in the late 1990s. Pease Auditorium was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1987, and a major renovation and addition program concluded in 2001.
⚫
== History of Pease Auditorium ==
Originally named Pierce auditorium, the name was changed a year later to the Frederic H. Pease Auditorium. Frederic H. Pease was the professor of music from 1858–1909 and Head of Conservatory at [[Michigan State Normal School]] (former name for Eastern Michigan University). He was described as being, "very eager to help students develop their full potential for music". When Pease opened for the fall semester of 1914, it was considered to be one of the most modern and prestigious auditoriums of its time. The grand neoclassical façade and classical details of the interior made the acoustics top of the line, and attracted many performers from across the country. Later in 1957, there was a large organ installed on the back of the stage. Then in 1959 new seats and a new stage floor was added. In 1993-1994 president [[William E. Shelton]] spent 2.2 million dollars on renovations to electrical, plumbing and structural upgrades, as well as adding new seats and putting in a lighting system for performing arts performances. Then a celebrity "green room" was added in the back of the auditorium to accommodate the many celebrities that perform there.<ref>http://www.emich.edu/walkingtour/pease.htm</ref>


== History ==
==People who contributed to the building and upgrades of Pease==
In the early 20th century, the [[History of Eastern Michigan University|Michigan State Normal College]] was thriving. The institution that would become Eastern Michigan University was founded as the Michigan State Normal School in 1849, and became the Michigan State Normal College in 1899 with the introduction of four-year academic programs. With the growth of the institution, the Conservatory of Music's quarters in the former Training School building were becoming cramped. Two successive university presidents advocated for the construction of an auditorium, and the necessary funds were raised during the term of [[Charles McKenny]]. Pease Auditorium was constructed at a cost of $159,000,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Eastern Michigan University Campus Buildings: Pease Auditorium |url=https://omeka.emich.edu/s/eastern-michigan-university-campus-buildings/item/118 |access-date=2024-01-28 |work=Eastern Michigan University Archives}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last1=Macias |first1=Richard |last2=Collins |first2=Malcolm L. |last3=Newmann |first3=Richard A. |last4=Schweitzer |first4=Robert A. |date=1984 |title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form: Pease Auditorium |url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/25340665 |access-date=2024-01-28}}</ref> equivalent to ${{Inflation|index=US-GDP|value=.159|start_year=1915|r=1}} million in {{Inflation/year|index=US-GDP}}.{{Inflation/fn|index=US-GDP}}
[[File:Professor F.H. Pease and the Normal Choir in Old Normal Hall, 1892-3.jpg|thumb|A cramped choir performance in the former Training School building in the early 1890s|left]]
The auditorium was initially planned to be named after [[John Davis Pierce|John D. Pierce]], the first [[Michigan Department of Education#List of superintendents of public instruction|Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction]]. Ypsilanti residents objected during the construction, and petitioned to change the buildling's namesake to music professor Frederic H. Pease, who died suddenly in 1909.<ref name=":2">{{Cite magazine |last=Anschuetz |first=Janice |date=Summer 2015 |title=Pease Auditorium Turns 100 Magnificent Years |url=https://ypsihistory.org/publications/summer2015.pdf |magazine=Ypsilanti Gleanings |publisher=Ypsilanti Historical Society |pages=10–15 |via=}}</ref> This effort was successful, and the auditorium was dedicated as Pease Auditorium on June 22, 1915.<ref name=":0" />


Pease Auditorium featured the latest technologies in construction, ventilation, and lighting at its opening. The auditorium was constructed of fireproof concrete and steel, and was fitted with a ventilation system capable of providing entirely new fresh air every ten minutes. The building was fitted with 400 electric lights, designed to provide diffuse light that emulated daylight.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1915-06-27 |title=Great Auditorium for State Normal College is Opened |work=Detroit Free Press |page=A19 |pages= |id={{ProQuest|565874560}}}}</ref>
'''Charles McKenny'''- President of Michigan State Normal School during the building of Pease auditorium. Raised funds and oversaw the successful building of Pease Auditorium.


The original plans of the auditorium were drawn to accommodate a large pipe organ, but budget restrictions required the removal of the organ itself from the project. Frederick Alexander, successor to Pease as head of the Conservatory of Music, made it his mission to install a grand organ in Pease Auditorium. Alexander left $90,000 ({{Inflation|index=US-GDP|value=90000|start_year=1955|r=-3|fmt=eq}}){{Inflation/fn|US-GDP}} in his will to fund it, and plans for the organ began after Alexander's death in 1955.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eastern Michigan University Campus Buildings: Alexander Music Building |url=https://omeka.emich.edu/s/eastern-michigan-university-campus-buildings/item/81 |access-date=2024-01-29 |work=Eastern Michigan University Archives}}</ref> The first performance on the new [[Aeolian-Skinner]] organ was given in October 1960, after a year of tuning by music professor Erich Goldsmith.<ref name=":3" /> The stage was expanded to account for the size of the organ, removing 100 seats.<ref name=":0" />
'''John D. Pierce'''- Head of the music department from 1859 to 1909. Pease Auditorium was originally named Pierce auditorium before betting dedicated in 1915.


{{Multiple image
'''Frederic H. Pease'''- Professor of music form 1858 to 1909. He was a favorite among his students and the auditorium was dedicated in his name on October 11, 1915.
| image1 = Pease EMUMB.jpg
| image2 = Pease Auditorium interior for dance performance.jpg
⚫
| header = Interior of Pease Auditorium
| caption1 = Marching band performance
| caption2 = Configured for a dance performance
| total_width = 500
| image3 = Pease Auditorium BOE Plaque Cropped.jpg
| caption3 = Dedication plaque
}}


Pease Auditorium was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1984, but was also falling into disrepair. By 1990, the auditorium was unusable due to its deterioration. The university launched a major fundraising campaign to repair and expand Pease, taking advantage of federal grants and private donations. Major repairs were done to the interior and exterior of Pease, and the backstage area of the auditorium was expanded to include a [[green room]] for performers. Elevators and ramps were added for compliance with the [[Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990|Americans with Disabilities Act]], and the seating capacity was reduced slightly to 1541. The $5.7 million (${{Inflation|index=US-GDP|value=5.7|start_year=1993|r=1}} million in {{Inflation/year|index=US-GDP}}) renovation program concluded in 1995, with a reopening performance featuring [[Branford Marsalis]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Collins Mathis |first=Jo |date=1995-09-13 |title=Pease ready for reopening night: Renovation gives auditorium new look for first concert Oct. 6 |work=The Ann Arbor News |pages=A1, A4 |via=NewsBank}}</ref>
'''Frederick Alexander'''-A music professor in the early 1900s at Michigan State Normal school. Early in the construction of the auditorium he had visions of a organ being installed on the back part of the stage. Because of funding issues the organ was never installed in the original construction of the auditorium. In his will Alexander left 80,000 dollars to the university to build the organ. Then on 1957 the organ was finally installed at a cost of 91,000 making it the most expensive organ in Michigan at the time.


The organ was disassembled and removed with the start of the renovation program, and refurbished over the course of several years. The reinstallation was complete in early 2001, and the Frederick Alexander Memorial Organ was rededicated in performance in April 2001.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mulcahy |first=John |date=2001-04-06 |title=Refurbished Pease Auditorium organ to be dedicated tonight |journal=The Ann Arbor News |page=C2 |via=NewsBank}}</ref>
'''Erich Goldschmidt'''- Professor of organ from 1955-1978 at Eastern Michigan University. Goldschmidt designed and tuned the massive organ installed in 1957.


== Namesake ==
'''William E. Shelton'''- President during the massive renovations that lasted from 1993 until late 1994.
[[File:Michigan State Normal-1899-309.jpg|thumb|Frederic H. Pease, namesake, {{Ca|1899}}|left]]
Pease Auditorium is named for longtime music professor Frederic H. Pease (1839-1909), Professor of Music at the Michigan State Normal School. Pease was the son of Ruth H. Crocker and Peter Pindar Pease, both early settlers of [[Oberlin, Ohio]] and contributors to the founding of [[Oberlin College]]. Frederic Pease studied under Professor E. M. Foote of Oberlin and traveled the Midwest, settling in Ypsilanti in 1859 to teach piano. Pease met Josephine Antoinette Dolsen, a student of music at the Normal College, that year, and they were married in November.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Anschuetz |first=Janice |date=Spring 2012 |title=Frederic Henry Pease: Ypsilanti’s Man for All Seasons |url=https://aadl.org/ypsigleanings/219318 |access-date=2024-01-27 |work=Ypsilanti Gleanings |publisher=Ypsilanti Historical Society |pages=19–26 |via=Ann Arbor District Library}}</ref>


Frederic Pease was appointed director of the Conservatory of Music at the Normal School in 1863, a position that he held until his death. Pease founded the Ypsilanti Musical Union, regularly played church organs in [[Jackson, Michigan|Jackson]] and [[Detroit]], composed music, and wrote textbooks for music teachers throughout his career. The Ypsilanti Musical Union grew rapidly from its founding in 1870, and proved so popular that the Ypsilanti Opera House was constructed for it in 1880.<ref name=":1" />
⚫
==References==

{{Multiple image
| image1 = Pease Auditorium Stained Glass 1.jpg
| image2 = Pease Auditorium Stained Glass 2.jpg
| footer =
| header = Stained glass dedicated to Josephine Dolsen Pease
| caption_align = center
| total_width = 300
}}

Josephine A. Dolsen Pease died in childbirth in 1877, at the age of 37. Frederic Pease died of sudden [[heart failure]] on March 22, 1909, at his house on South Summit Street.<ref name=":2" />

After Josephine's death, Frederic commissioned a [[stained glass]] window in her memory at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in downtown Ypsilanti, where he was a distinguished member. The windows were later placed in storage, and were restored and installed in Pease Auditorium in 2015.<ref name=":2" />

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== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


{{commons category}}
⚫
{{Eastern Michigan University}}
{{National Register of Historic Places listings in Washtenaw County, Michigan}}
{{National Register of Historic Places in Michigan}}


[[Category:Concert halls in the United States]]
[[Category:Concert halls in Michigan]]
[[Category:Buildings at Eastern Michigan University]]
[[Category:Buildings at Eastern Michigan University]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1914]]

[[Category:1914 architecture]]
[[Category:1914 establishments in Michigan]]

Latest revision as of 20:38, 31 May 2024

Pease Auditorium
Map
Address494 College Place
Ypsilanti, Michigan
United States
Coordinates42°14′47.06″N 83°37′17.38″W / 42.2464056°N 83.6214944°W / 42.2464056; -83.6214944
Capacity1541
Construction
OpenedJune 22, 1915; 109 years ago (1915-06-22)
Expanded1995
ArchitectSmith, Hinchman & Grylls
Pease Auditorium
Architectural styleClassical Revival
NRHP reference No.84000018
Added to NRHP1984

Pease Auditorium is a concert hall on the campus of Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The auditorium was dedicated in 1915 in memory of music professor Frederic H. Pease, at the institution then known as the Michigan State Normal College, and is the fourth-oldest building on the EMU campus. Pease Auditorium is in the Neoclassical Revival architectural style, and was designed by the Detroit-based firm Smith, Hinchman, and Grylls. The auditorium's 1500-seat capacity and excellent acoustics contribute to its reputation as a premier music venue, presenting the performances of the Eastern Michigan University Department of Music and Dance.[1]

Pease Auditorium was built to accommodate a large pipe organ, but no such organ was fitted when the auditorium opened. An 81-rank Aeolian-Skinner organ was installed in the early 1960s, and was fully restored in the late 1990s. Pease Auditorium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, and a major renovation and addition program concluded in 2001.

History

[edit]

In the early 20th century, the Michigan State Normal College was thriving. The institution that would become Eastern Michigan University was founded as the Michigan State Normal School in 1849, and became the Michigan State Normal College in 1899 with the introduction of four-year academic programs. With the growth of the institution, the Conservatory of Music's quarters in the former Training School building were becoming cramped. Two successive university presidents advocated for the construction of an auditorium, and the necessary funds were raised during the term of Charles McKenny. Pease Auditorium was constructed at a cost of $159,000,[2][3] equivalent to $3.5 million in 2023.[4]

A cramped choir performance in the former Training School building in the early 1890s

The auditorium was initially planned to be named after John D. Pierce, the first Michigan Superintendent of Public Instruction. Ypsilanti residents objected during the construction, and petitioned to change the buildling's namesake to music professor Frederic H. Pease, who died suddenly in 1909.[5] This effort was successful, and the auditorium was dedicated as Pease Auditorium on June 22, 1915.[3]

Pease Auditorium featured the latest technologies in construction, ventilation, and lighting at its opening. The auditorium was constructed of fireproof concrete and steel, and was fitted with a ventilation system capable of providing entirely new fresh air every ten minutes. The building was fitted with 400 electric lights, designed to provide diffuse light that emulated daylight.[6]

The original plans of the auditorium were drawn to accommodate a large pipe organ, but budget restrictions required the removal of the organ itself from the project. Frederick Alexander, successor to Pease as head of the Conservatory of Music, made it his mission to install a grand organ in Pease Auditorium. Alexander left $90,000 (equivalent to $799,000 in 2023)[4] in his will to fund it, and plans for the organ began after Alexander's death in 1955.[7] The first performance on the new Aeolian-Skinner organ was given in October 1960, after a year of tuning by music professor Erich Goldsmith.[2] The stage was expanded to account for the size of the organ, removing 100 seats.[3]

Interior of Pease Auditorium
Marching band performance
Configured for a dance performance
Dedication plaque

Pease Auditorium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, but was also falling into disrepair. By 1990, the auditorium was unusable due to its deterioration. The university launched a major fundraising campaign to repair and expand Pease, taking advantage of federal grants and private donations. Major repairs were done to the interior and exterior of Pease, and the backstage area of the auditorium was expanded to include a green room for performers. Elevators and ramps were added for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the seating capacity was reduced slightly to 1541. The $5.7 million ($10.9 million in 2023) renovation program concluded in 1995, with a reopening performance featuring Branford Marsalis.[8]

The organ was disassembled and removed with the start of the renovation program, and refurbished over the course of several years. The reinstallation was complete in early 2001, and the Frederick Alexander Memorial Organ was rededicated in performance in April 2001.[9]

Namesake

[edit]
Frederic H. Pease, namesake, c. 1899

Pease Auditorium is named for longtime music professor Frederic H. Pease (1839-1909), Professor of Music at the Michigan State Normal School. Pease was the son of Ruth H. Crocker and Peter Pindar Pease, both early settlers of Oberlin, Ohio and contributors to the founding of Oberlin College. Frederic Pease studied under Professor E. M. Foote of Oberlin and traveled the Midwest, settling in Ypsilanti in 1859 to teach piano. Pease met Josephine Antoinette Dolsen, a student of music at the Normal College, that year, and they were married in November.[10]

Frederic Pease was appointed director of the Conservatory of Music at the Normal School in 1863, a position that he held until his death. Pease founded the Ypsilanti Musical Union, regularly played church organs in Jackson and Detroit, composed music, and wrote textbooks for music teachers throughout his career. The Ypsilanti Musical Union grew rapidly from its founding in 1870, and proved so popular that the Ypsilanti Opera House was constructed for it in 1880.[10]

Stained glass dedicated to Josephine Dolsen Pease

Josephine A. Dolsen Pease died in childbirth in 1877, at the age of 37. Frederic Pease died of sudden heart failure on March 22, 1909, at his house on South Summit Street.[5]

After Josephine's death, Frederic commissioned a stained glass window in her memory at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in downtown Ypsilanti, where he was a distinguished member. The windows were later placed in storage, and were restored and installed in Pease Auditorium in 2015.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Pease Auditorium Technical Information". BookEMU. Eastern Michigan University. Retrieved 2024-01-28.
  2. ^ a b "Eastern Michigan University Campus Buildings: Pease Auditorium". Eastern Michigan University Archives. Retrieved 2024-01-28.
  3. ^ a b c Macias, Richard; Collins, Malcolm L.; Newmann, Richard A.; Schweitzer, Robert A. (1984). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form: Pease Auditorium". Retrieved 2024-01-28.
  4. ^ a b Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 2023-11-30. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
  5. ^ a b c Anschuetz, Janice (Summer 2015). "Pease Auditorium Turns 100 Magnificent Years" (PDF). Ypsilanti Gleanings. Ypsilanti Historical Society. pp. 10–15.
  6. ^ "Great Auditorium for State Normal College is Opened". Detroit Free Press. June 27, 1915. p. A19. ProQuest 565874560.
  7. ^ "Eastern Michigan University Campus Buildings: Alexander Music Building". Eastern Michigan University Archives. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  8. ^ Collins Mathis, Jo (September 13, 1995). "Pease ready for reopening night: Renovation gives auditorium new look for first concert Oct. 6". The Ann Arbor News. pp. A1, A4 – via NewsBank.
  9. ^ Mulcahy, John (April 6, 2001). "Refurbished Pease Auditorium organ to be dedicated tonight". The Ann Arbor News. p. C2 – via NewsBank.
  10. ^ a b Anschuetz, Janice (Spring 2012). "Frederic Henry Pease: Ypsilanti's Man for All Seasons". Ypsilanti Gleanings. Ypsilanti Historical Society. pp. 19–26. Retrieved 2024-01-27 – via Ann Arbor District Library.
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