Powell Hall Transformation

In 2025, the SLSO opened the doors of the new Jack C. Taylor Music Center, with a transformed Powell Hall at its heart.

The music center facilitates greater community connections with new education, gathering, and backstage areas, while the renovation of Powell Hall retains what you love about this historic asset and creates an even more welcoming and comfortable experience for all.

Support from throughout the community made this investment in the future of the SLSO possible. Thank you to all who contributed to this momentous effort.

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Berges Family Grand Lobby & Main Entrance

The soaring walls of the Berges Family Grand Lobby contain the colorful artwork by renowned artist Sheila Hicks, a grand multi-story staircase, and multiple gathering spaces. The Box Office is conveniently located just inside the main entrance at the corner of Grand and Samuel Shepard.

New Spaces & Amenities

Visitors can take advantage of four distinct entrances as well as additional restrooms, concessions, and elevators. New spaces include the Kemper Donor Lounge, a café, coat check, and a viewing room where families with young children, patrons with sensory sensitivities, and late attendees can enjoy performances.

Auditorium Upgrades

Auditorium seats are now larger and deeper with more leg room. Accessibility in the 2,150-seat theater has also been improved through additional ADA-compliant entrances, flexible seating, handrails, and a softer auditorium slope.

Artistic Quality

Audiences will enjoy an enhanced experience through acoustic and lighting design and soundproofing measures.

Historical Preservation

The Versailles-inspired aesthetic of the original 1925 building has been preserved and restored, including a fresh coat of paint, new carpet and textiles, and ornate details cleaned and recreated. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the beauty of this civic landmark will be maintained for generations to come.

Steward Family Education and Learning Center

The 3,660-square-foot Steward Family Education and Learning Center hosts an array of education and community programs, including rehearsals for the Youth Orchestra and our two resident choruses as well as public conversations, private receptions, and community gatherings.

Backstage Wing

The significantly larger backstage area includes amenities such as orchestra and guest artist dressing rooms, the musician lounge, music library, practice spaces, instrument storage, and media and recording studios.

A Look Back at the Progress

SLSO Stories about the Project

Read about the project and the people behind it.

Our Partners

See the list of the visionary leaders and partners who made the music center possible.

Powell Hall Partners

More about the Project

This is the first major renovation of the historic Grand Center building since we purchased the building and made it the SLSO’s first permanent home in 1968.

Originally built as a vaudeville house and movie theater, the venue was never designed to support a symphony orchestra. The transformative project improves all aspects of the audience and artist experience, while updating the building’s aging infrastructure. We’ve improved the safety of the building and made it more accessible and ADA compliant. You’ll also notice upgraded amenities throughout. A new Education and Learning Center serves as rehearsal space for the SLSO’s two resident choruses and Youth Orchestra and as a home for the SLSO’s education programming.

The expansion and renovation preserves and enhances what you love about the building—its renowned acoustics and architectural splendor—while improving building infrastructure and expanding the space to better serve our community.
This project is inspired by our community. You’ll notice several upgraded amenities on your next visit: additional restrooms and concession areas; a welcoming new lobby and Box Office to provide more space to gather; beautiful outdoor green spaces; a new café and terrace; a new coat check; a viewing booth; a new patron lounge; and new and upgraded entrances.

The auditorium retains its iconic look and sound, but you’ll notice larger, more comfortable seats with additional legroom and additional sound fortification.

For artists, we have added new lounges and dressing rooms; practice rooms; more adequate instrument storage; a media and recording suite; and a new music library.

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Help us continue to make music accessible to all in St. Louis for generations to come.

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