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| The Sheldon Concert Hall | |
|---|---|
| Name | The Sheldon Concert Hall |
| Address | 3648 Washington Boulevard |
| City | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Country | United States |
| Architect | Louis C. Spiering |
| Owner | Sheldon Arts Foundation |
| Capacity | ~750 |
| Opened | 1912 (as Scottish Rite Temple); 1982 (as concert hall) |
| Rebuilt | 1935 (interior), 1981–1982 (restoration) |
The Sheldon Concert Hall is a historic performance venue in St. Louis, Missouri, noted for its acoustic qualities, mission-driven programming, and preservation as a landmark. Originally constructed as a Masonic and Scottish Rite Temple in the early 20th century, the building later reopened as a concert hall and arts center that hosts classical music, jazz, folk, world music, and community events. The venue has become integral to the cultural life of St. Louis and engages with regional and national institutions through performances, recordings, and educational initiatives.
The building was commissioned during the era of the Pan-American Exposition-era civic expansion associated with civic leaders who also supported institutions like the St. Louis Art Museum, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri History Museum, Forest Park, and social organizations such as the Freemasonry movement and the Scottish Rite. Designed by architect Louis C. Spiering, who influenced other projects related to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition and worked alongside figures connected to Cass Gilbert and Daniel Burnham urban planning ideals, the structure opened in 1912 as a ceremonial temple. The decline of fraternal orders in the mid-20th century and shifts in urban demographics paralleled changes that affected venues such as the Fox Theatre (St. Louis), Peabody Opera House, and performance sites tied to Union Station (St. Louis). In the late 1970s and early 1980s, preservationists, philanthropists linked to foundations like the McDonnell Family and organizations comparable to the National Trust for Historic Preservation mobilized to rescue the building. Rechristened as a concert hall and named after benefactor Sheldon-affiliated donors, the space reopened in 1982, joining a cohort of restored venues such as the Tivoli Theatre (Wilmington, Delaware), the Carnegie Library (St. Louis), and local cultural anchors like Stifel Theatre.
The exterior presents Beaux-Arts and Neoclassical influences echoing designs by Charles F. McKim, Stanford White, and contemporaries of Cass Gilbert. The façade uses brick and stone detailing reminiscent of municipal projects of the City Beautiful movement and shares ornamental vocabulary with structures like the Old Courthouse (St. Louis) and campus buildings at Washington University in St. Louis. Interior elements include a vaulted auditorium, ornate plasterwork, and a proscenium that has been compared to elements found in venues designed by Rapp and Rapp and architects of the Loew's Theatres circuit. Acoustical work supervised by consultants with links to projects at Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, and Symphony Hall (Boston) resulted in intimate sightlines and warm tonal balance appreciated by ensembles such as the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, chamber groups affiliated with Juilliard School, and touring artists who also perform at venues like Lincoln Center and Kennedy Center.
The programming mixes genres spanning classical chamber music presented in collaboration with organizations like the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Glimmerglass Festival, and presenters associated with Chamber Music America, alongside jazz series that reflect traditions of artists connected to Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and contemporary figures similar to Wynton Marsalis. Folk and singer-songwriter concerts draw connections to circuits that include Nashville, Austin City Limits, and festivals like the Newport Folk Festival. World music offerings mirror partnerships seen between presenters such as World Music Institute and venues like City Winery. The hall also hosts lecture-demonstrations, tribute concerts for artists from the Great American Songbook, and recording sessions in the tradition of live albums made at Village Vanguard, Blue Note Jazz Club, and historic recordings at RCA Studio A.
Artists who have performed at the venue include leading figures in jazz, classical, folk, and world music—paralleling appearances at institutions like Montreux Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Sydney Opera House, and clubs such as the Village Vanguard. Noteworthy performers and ensembles associated with the hall align with names found on tours with Chico Hamilton, Béla Fleck, Tommy Emmanuel, ensembles from Juilliard School, and international artists booked by promoters linked to Live Nation and AEG Presents. The hall has been the site of live recordings and broadcast sessions akin to releases on Nonesuch Records, Blue Note Records, and public radio programs such as National Public Radio's live sessions, following precedents set by live albums recorded at The Town Hall (New York) and The Old Town School of Folk Music.
Education initiatives mirror models from institutions like Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute, El Sistema USA, and programs at St. Louis Public Schools partnerships, offering youth concerts, workshops for teachers similar to seminars by Young Audiences Arts for Learning, and residency programs that echo collaborations undertaken by the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra's Education Department. Community outreach engages local nonprofits such as Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, St. Louis Artists' Guild, and service organizations patterned after AmeriCorps partnerships, creating pipelines for arts access comparable to citywide efforts coordinated by cultural agencies and foundations like the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis.
The venue is operated by a nonprofit organization modeled on performing arts management structures comparable to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts nonprofit affiliates, overseen by a board comprising civic leaders, philanthropists, and arts administrators with connections to institutions like Washington University in St. Louis, Washington University Medical Center, and philanthropic families linked to regional legacy donors such as the E. Desloge and Anheuser-Busch philanthropic networks. Operational practices include fundraising, grant-seeking in a manner akin to applications to the National Endowment for the Arts, and ticketing strategies that parallel box office operations at mid-sized halls including Town Hall (New York) and university-affiliated venues.
Preservation efforts placed the building among notable adaptive reuse projects alongside rehabilitations like Union Station (St. Louis), the Old Post Office (St. Louis), and theater restorations supported by preservationists from groups similar to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The hall's cultural impact extends to serving as a hub for regional touring circuits, contributing to downtown and neighborhood revitalization trends observed in cities with anchors such as Atlanta, Chicago, and Minneapolis. Through recordings, residencies, and collaborations with entities like Public Radio International and educational institutions, the venue has influenced perceptions of St. Louis as a center for live performance and sustained a legacy comparable to long-running halls in American cultural life.
Category:Performing arts centers in Missouri Category:Buildings and structures in St. Louis