Musicians Look Forward to Powell Hall Improvements

Beyond the auditorium, lobby, and public gathering spaces, an entire ecosystem exists at Powell Hall to support the creation of memorable music moments. When the Jack C. Taylor Music Center—with a renovated Powell Hall at its heart—opens in September 2025, it will not only improve every aspect of the audience experience, but also the experience of the 90-plus musicians of the orchestra.

Powell Hall was never built to accommodate an orchestra and its needs, and therefore lacked amenities for today’s SLSO. A new backstage wing at the Jack C. Taylor Music Center will remedy these shortcomings.

“The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra musicians are beyond excited to return to our beloved home,” said Bjorn Ranheim, co-chair of the SLSO Musicians’ Council.

Musicians will enjoy a light-filled, spacious new lounge to unwind before or after rehearsals or concerts. A state-of-the-art music library will be relocated from the depths of the Powell Hall basement, carefully preserving the SLSO’s vast sheet music collection. New men’s, women’s, and gender neutral dressing rooms will address a glaring inequity—Powell Hall didn’t have a women’s locker room. And twelve new practice spaces will provide musicians convenient options to hone their craft. These and other planned amenities will significantly improve the artist experience at the historic venue.

“The added practice and rehearsal spaces, coupled with a beautiful musicians’ lounge, will make for a much more comfortable and productive environment, both pre- and post-concert,” added Chris Tantillo, the other Musicians’ Council co-chair.

With the amount of time spent at the concert hall, it was paramount to enhance the comfort and practicality of the space for orchestra musicians. The SLSO’s roster includes musicians from around the world who have made St. Louis their homes and elevated the region’s arts and culture landscape. The forthcoming improvements, Ranheim and Tantillo say, will help attract the highest-caliber talent to St. Louis and retain them once here.