Kent Concert Hall to be renamed, reopened after renovations
The Kent Concert Hall, which is located on Utah State University’s campus in the Chase Fine Arts Center, will be renamed to the “Newel G. and Jean C. Daines Concert Hall.”
Craig Jessop, the dean of the Caine College of the Arts, and Utah State University President Stan Albrecht announced the renaming at the Old Main Society dinner in October.
Jessop said the Daines have donated a generous amount of money over the years to the Caine College of the Arts.
While Jessop said he could not disclose the amount of money, Albrecht said the gift is the “capstone needed to finish our newly-updated facility” in a news release sent out on Monday.
He said the gift will provide for “us to increase the quality of the amenities used in the final phases of the concert hall’s renovation.”
The Daines donated specifically to the concert hall, but other aspects of the Chase Fine Arts Complex are also being renovated.
For example, the Nora Eccles Art Museum is expanding to the west and will also include a new entry. The Chase Fine Arts Center will also be expanded to the east and west.
“It’s all one big project, but there are specific components of the project, like the concert hall, where donors have contributed specifically,” Jessop said.
There are other specific areas that will receive names as well, where donors have given specific gifts. This will occur over the next few years as renovations take place.
While the Daines made a large, public donation, other donors have also made significant donations privately over the years.
President Albrecht has also committed funds from the general maintenance fund, Jessop said.
Jessop said the vast majority of funds have been from private donors, and the largest donor has chosen to remain anonymous.
“I think some people who are in a position to make these contributions don’t want the flood gates open; they don’t want other people rushing in and they want their privacy protected,” Jessop said.
While the concert hall has existed for almost 50 years, the Caine College of the Arts is fairly new to USU.
Until 2010, the USU art programs were combined in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. In 2010, President Albrecht created a new college for art programs—music, theatre, design and art.
“The Caine family had donated millions of dollars to the arts over the years, which is why President Albrecht felt it was absolutely necessary and appropriate to name the college after the family,” Jessop said.
When the concert hall opened in 1957, it did not include an organ.
About five years later, the Kent family donated funds to allow the Caine College of the Arts to build an organ and the concert hall was named the “Kent Concert Hall” after this donation.
Jessop said that although the size of the Kent’s donation was significant, “it’s not at all in the same league as the Daines’ gift.”
Although both the Kents have passed away since their donation, Jessop spoke to one of their grand-daughters to explain the renaming of the building and said she was “gracious and kind about it.”
The Kents will also be honored with a plaque next to the organ and will always be listed as donors to the Caine College of the Arts.
Jessop said: “It’s an incredible time for arts at Utah State University and all the credit goes to Stan Albrecht.”
Jessop also said he is confident President-Elect Noelle Cockett will continue to support the arts at USU, and said she has been “amazingly supportive through all of this.”
@alison__berg