Richard F. and Sandra L. Giese Center for the Performing Arts

The Performing Arts Center is named in honor of Dr. Richard F. and Sandra L. Giese in recognition of their exceptional service to the University from 2005 to 2015. The Gieses were at the forefront of the effort to provide enhanced and expanded space for the performing arts at Mount Union and were instrumental in making the dream for a center for the performing arts a reality.

The Center houses is the departments of Music and Theatre and includes the Art Gallery, Black Box Theatre, Cope Music Hall and Performance Hall in addition to a library, recital hall, green room, scene shop, costume shop and dressing rooms.

• Otto Art Gallery
• Cope Music Hall
• Gallaher Black Box Theatre
• Performance Hall
• Presser Recital Hall
• Sturgeon Music Library

Otto Art Gallery
Located within the Performing Arts Center, the Art Gallery features exhibitions of work by students, faculty and professionals throughout the academic year.

Cope Music Hall
This facility is named in memory of the late Kenneth B. Cope ’20, alumnus, trustee and churchman.  Principal donors to the building are his widow, Lela (Stoffer ’21) Cope, and family. The building contains the offices and teaching studios of faculty members in the Department of Music. 

A complete keyboard laboratory of 12 Roland electronic pianos is located in the music theory area, adjacent to a computer laboratory.  The Department of Music facility includes a state-of-the-art MIDI synthesizer/computer laboratory.  There are currently four computer workstations in place with access to a laser printer.  The computers are connected via Studio 3 MIDI interfaces to either the Kurzweil K250, the Korg M-1 or to the Yamaha DX-7 synthesizers.  The laboratory is utilized by students to do remedial work in the area of basic musicianship skills, to process music theory assignments, to orchestrate, to study audio theory and to investigate synthesizing, sequencing and voice sampling.

Dedicated choral and instrumental rehearsal rooms, a small recital hall, 30 practice rooms of various sizes and three classrooms are on the east side of the building. 

Gallaher Black Box Theatre
This multipurpose space, located within the Performing Arts Center, can host an array of events including improv theatre, theatre in the round, small music ensemble recitals, dance performances and other entertainment events as well as banquets and receptions.

Performance Hall
The proscenium-style Performance Theatre offers seating for 450 on its lower level and in its balcony. The acoustically-significant, state-of-the-art space can host events of varied natures including vocal, instrumental and theatrical performances.

Presser Recital Hall
Presser Recital Hall is dedicated to Theodore Presser, a former Mount Union student and professor.  The three-manual organ in the recital hall is the gift of the Kulas Foundation.

Sturgeon Music Library
Also located in this area is the Sturgeon Music Library, given in memory of Bertha Fogg Sturgeon and her parents, by Samuel Sturgeon.  The collection of books, scores and recordings was begun by a generous donation by Mrs. Ella Wilcox Peasley and the Carnegie Corporation.  Presently, there are more than 7,000 recordings in LP and CD formats, more than 10,000 music scores, a music reference collection and approximately 60 music periodical titles in the library.  The facilities include four listening stations, an A-V room with stereo equipment, a TV and VCR and a computer workstation with access to the campus network, the library system and the Internet.

View the full calendar of Visual and Performing Arts events to see what exhibits, recitals, concerts and performances are scheduled for the year.