Convocation Hall set to get a $7.4 million refresh

The 110-year-old Convocation Hall, located in the Old Arts Building, is getting a refresh. And music students are excited about it.

The renewal is estimated to cost $7.4 million. Renovations will start later in 2026, but no exact date is known.

“The building is old, and that’s a part of its charm as well, and that’s why we love doing performances in there,” Sanjna Kaushal, the current vice-president and incoming president of the Music Students’ Association (MSA), said. “Things can definitely be improved, especially on the performance aspect of things.”

Makenna Graham, current president of the MSA, said originally, the project was going to be a lot smaller.

“It started with a relatively small donation to the Department of Music to do this renovation,” she said. “And then, from my understanding, it grew to something much larger with the involvement of the rest of the university.”

The University of Alberta’s announcement in The Quad states that the renovations will honour the iconic space while updating it to modern standards. Accessibility will also be a key focus.

“We have many people that want to come to our concerts that face accessibility issues, like grandparents … and it’s really hard to get into buildings,” Graham said. 

She added that people have to go to the back of the building to access a ramp. 

Students hopeful renovations will improve the space for performances

There’s also simpler things like making the chairs less squeaky so they don’t interrupt recordings. Technology is another key area they hope to see improvements in to help with those recordings.

Behind the scenes, Kaushal hopes access to the stage will be made easier for performers. The stage itself currently has two levels, which can complicate performances. 

“It’ll be so much easier if it’s all on one level. We’ll be able to make use of it, better utilize the space for our performances,” she said. “The opera theatre … perform there too, so they’ll be able to better use the flat ground.”

The renovations will impact music students’ studies. Alternative venues around the city will have to be used for performances. However, both Graham and Kaushal are hopeful that’ll bring more opportunities for students.

“As much as it’s a challenge for students, it’s a challenge that could push a lot of students to really good places because it’ll teach them some resourcefulness, some flexibility, and just learning how to adapt to different musical spaces as well,” Graham said. 

“I think it gets us out into the community a little bit as well,” Kaushal added. “Maybe some new opportunities will come out of that as well, and also gather a new audience.”