Desautels Concert Hall giving campaign offers chance for lasting tribute

Donors can put their name on a seat in the brand-new Desautels Concert Hall as part of a giving campaign for the much-anticipated venue, giving them a chance to leave a lasting legacy. Supporters who make a gift of $1,000 or more will be recognized through a plaque on the seat back. The plaque’s inscription can be the donor’s name, the name of a loved one or other tribute. Several seats in the 407-seat venue have already been secured by enthusiastic donors.

“Not only does this concert hall fill a significant need for our faculty, musical community and city, it enhances us nationally and globally as a university that inspires and houses world-class musicians,” says Monica Huisman, an instructor in the Faculty and a donor to the concert hall.

The funds raised through the campaign will help ensure completion of the performance hub, which will showcase some of the finest talent from our UM community and beyond. The venue will give UM students valuable performance experience in a world-class hall, which will be an invaluable part of their training. It will also provide performance opportunities for a wide range of artists in Winnipeg’s diverse musical community.

“With state-of-the-art acoustics, adjustable proscenium, and orchestral pit, the concert hall will provide an outstanding performance experience for our students, faculty, and community musicians. It is flexible enough to accommodate a range of musical activities, from the solo performer, to our various small ensembles, to large ensembles such as our opera productions and University of Manitoba Jazz Orchestra. The concert hall will be not just an important feature of the Desautels Faculty of Music and the University of Manitoba, but also a vital contribution to Winnipeg’s musical life,” says Edward Jurkowski, Dean of the Desautels Faculty of Music.

The concert hall is set to open in the fall of 2024 on the Fort Garry campus as the grand finale of the Taché Arts Project. The inspired design is the work of Winnipeg’s Cibinel Architecture and Toronto’s Teeple Architects. Both Cibinel partners, George Cibinel [BES/77] and Michael Robertson [BA/98, MA/04], are UM Faculty of Architecture graduates, as is Tomer Diamant [BEnvD/04] of Teeple. The concert hall won the AN Best in Design Award 2021.

“So many artists will have the opportunity to flourish, as the concert hall bridges the off-stage rehearsal experience to the on-stage practical experience,” says alum Evan Chan [BMus/23]. “The venue will also positively impact the local music scene and will be a dream come true for music students like me.”

Other funding for the Desautels Concert Hall has come from its benefactor, the late Marcel Desautels, who previously made a $10 million gift, and through the generosity of many other donors. In December 2019, the university gratefully acknowledged a gift of $2.5 million from Dr. Michael F. B. Nesbitt. More recently, a gift of $2.5 million was also generously given by Gail Asper, who has been a staunch supporter of the arts at UM and also previously made a gift to establish the Gail Asper Performing Arts Hall, located in the Taché Arts Complex.

Stay tuned for more information coming soon about the grand opening of the Desautels Concert Hall!

Be part of this legacy project and take your seat at the Desautels Concert Hall today. The deadline to secure your seat in the hall is July 2, 2024.

UM faculty and staff may be able to pay for their seat through payroll deduction. Visit this website for more information.

UM Today Staff