Rendering of the Stella Boyle Smith Music Center, future home of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, in Little Rock.
In Saturday’s (8/12) Talk Business and Politics (Arkansas), an unsigned report states, “The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra broke ground on its new $11.75 million Stella Boyle Smith Music Center in Little Rock’s East Village, creating a first-of-its-kind music-focused headquarters for the state. The new 20,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility, slated to open in September 2024, is the symphony’s first permanent home in its 58-year history. The new music center will provide access to music education, music performances and music making to residents of all corners of the state through new spaces and a broadcast and recording studio…. The new music center will boast state-of-the-art features for children and adults that participate in the programs of the E. Lee Ronnel Music Academy, including music classrooms and practice spaces, ensuring a conducive environment for musical growth and creativity. The space will include Morgan Hall … which will serve as a versatile space for rehearsals and concerts, fostering an immersive musical experience…. ASO CEO Christina Littlejohn said, ‘Music has the power to connect us and build communities at the micro and macro levels. Creating community has never felt so important.’ ”
