Доноры помогли преобразовать офисы в современные музыкальные студии в Дакотском Wesleyan-колледже

MITCHELL — Corbin Kramer looks over a music rehearsal space at Smith Hall at Dakota Wesleyan University. It’s sparsely populated at the moment, with just a handful of chairs, a piano and a whiteboard occupying the sunlit room. But the walls are freshly painted, the worn carpet that covered the floor has been removed and the surface underneath polished to a high gloss. Acoustical tile has been added to some portions of the walls. ADVERTISEMENT What had once been an administrative office space for the school is turning into a proper vocal music rehearsal space, and Kramer, who serves as performing arts talent coordinator at the school, is excited about what he’s seeing. “There’s a lot of heart and soul that's put into this space. And I think the returning students will appreciate it. And the new, incoming students will feel proud of the space,” Kramer said. Kramer has been watching crews work on the renovations over the summer, and there’s been a lot to do. Smith Hall, which was built in the 1950s, hosts the college’s Ron and Sheilah Gates Department of Music and, until recently, several administrative offices that have since moved to other locations on campus. Those former office spaces, like the vocal music rehearsal room Kramer was showing earlier, are in the process of transforming into dedicated musical areas. That work, coupled with the revamping of other areas of the building that had already hosted music department programs, is giving the mid-20th century interior a more modern aesthetic and improving learning conditions. Different academic disciplines call for different environments. A modern music department relies heavily on good acoustics, and the removal of carpet from the floor of some of the rooms, as well as the installation of strategically placed acoustical tile, should improve sound quality for both vocal and instrumental music. It seems like a small detail, but it makes a difference, Kramer said. “Honestly, getting the carpet out of those spaces really, really helps,” Kramer said. “Carpet does not work well with sound traveling most of the time. (This allows) sound to ring or travel a little bit more.” ADVERTISEMENT The acoustic changes will help provide a space for top-notch sound quality, and improvements to the doors and doorways will help make sure that sound stays where it should be — in the rehearsal spaces — instead of drifting out to hallways or classrooms where it may be intrusive. Around the corner, the band rehearsal space has undergone a similar transformation, with carpet also being removed and being replaced with laminate flooring. This also helps with sound quality as well as improves durability. Next to that space is a traditional-style classroom, with rows of desks, a smartboard and another piano. Connected to both of those spaces is the department lobby, which has been refreshed with new paint color and furniture. Another side room is being prepped to become a small recording studio, where students will learn the ins and outs of composing, arranging and recording music. “(It will help them) understand how to arrange music and compose music, because sometimes you don't think about this, but music teachers have to do that,” Kramer said. That work is expected to be closer to completion when the school plans to host a ribbon cutting, likely in October. Though the school declined to release a figure on the cost of the project, Jan Larson, director of marketing and communications for the school, said a donation from Ken and Diane Ketel, both alumni from the class of 1962 and longtime musicians and educators, made the transformation possible. The Ketels were also inducted into the DWU Performing Arts Hall of Fame in 2025. “We know that some improvements may have been within our budget, but certainly with the help of the Ketels and their donation, it really put the project in motion,” Larson said. ADVERTISEMENT The renovations will benefit current and incoming students, but it will also help raise the potential for music student recruitment at Dakota Wesleyan. That is one of Kramer’s primary roles at the school — serving as a talent scout for vocalists and instrumentalists and visiting high school student performances to promote the university. It’s not unlike the work of a recruiter for an athletic program. “We (even) do signing days for students who are coming in under performing arts scholarships. They have their families there, take some photos,” Kramer said. Updated facilities are an important factor in attracting top students, Kramer said. Along with promoting the low student to teacher ratio and relatively small class sizes, attractive classrooms, practice rooms and performance spaces are an important draw to students looking for a comfortable environment to improve their skills. And more students will likely soon be considering Dakota Wesleyan. The music department is introducing two new majors this year — one in Music Ministry and one in Music Marketing and Management. The ministry degree is designed for students who hope to go into roles in church music leadership, while the marketing curriculum is geared more toward the business side of music and management. The department will fully return to life again when students return for the fall semester in less than two weeks, and Kramer is excited to share the new space with new and returning students. The renovations are not only an improvement in aesthetics and acoustics, but also a signal that the school continues to be dedicated to supporting its music students. It’s a great way to start the 2026-27 school year, he said. ADVERTISEMENT “It shows you that Dakota Wesleyan is really intentional and thoughtful about positioning performing arts in a way that we’re all proud of,” Kramer said.