A Pitch-Perfect Space

Spring 2024
By Rebecca Hasler

The Dean’s Rehearsal Hall, an expansive room within the Shepherd School of Music’s Brockman Hall for Opera, serves as a premier space for both rehearsals and master classes. Its sound-absorbing draperies and wall and ceiling panels contribute to its well-controlled acoustical environment. Large doors on the backstage side of the room make it possible to bring in set pieces from the stage for opera rehearsals, and its ample size facilitates a seamless transition for students come performance time.

“The Dean’s Rehearsal Hall is a true gem of a space in that it transitions expertly from an intimate coaching studio for a small ensemble to a substantial classroom space or even a full-fledged opera rehearsal and performance hall,” says Joshua Winograde, director of opera studies at the Shepherd School of Music.

All Shepherd School opera students attend and perform in master classes to gain valuable lessons from top performers and their peers. Recent esteemed guest artists include Ryan McKinny, bass-baritone and frequent star at The Metropolitan Opera; Rodell Rosel, tenor; and Isabel Leonard, three-time Grammy-winning mezzo-soprano. All three took time out to coach Shepherd students despite busy rehearsal schedules at Houston Grand Opera, where they performed in “Parsifal,” “Madame Butterfly” and “The Sound of Music,” respectively.

The Dean’s Rehearsal Hall helps facilitate the collaborative creative work of composers and performers, too. For example, the world premiere concert performance of “Music for New Bodies,” an exciting first collaboration between the brilliant young composer Matthew Aucoin and legendary director Peter Sellars, started here, with workshops and rehearsals. After its premiere at Brockman Hall for Opera in April, it will be performed at LA Opera and the Aspen Music Festival and School.