Before his involvement with Concordia, Alfred Hvidsten was a farmer from Stephen, Minnesota. In the 1940s, he was a member of Concordia's board of directors and held tight to the dream of a new music hall on campus. In December 1946, Hvidsten donated $60,000 to the project in an attempt to get the ball rolling. However, Hvidsten would have to wait 16 years before he saw his aspirations come to fruition. In 1962, ground was finally broken by Alfred Hvidsten and construction began. The cost of the Hvidsten Hall of Music totaled $700,000 and was dedicated at the homecoming celebration in 1963. The building was fully furnished with new pianos, rehearsal quarters, practice rooms, teaching studios, and a recital hall. A unique feature at the time was the central court where open-air recitals could be played. The single-story brick and glass-panel building received rave reviews from faculty. Music professors Stahl, Christiansen, and Childs said: "Almost like a palace!" "There isn't a college of our size with anything like it!" "We have absolutely the tops in facilities!" Even today, 52 years later, the Hvidsten Hall of Music is still dearly beloved by many. Comments are closed.
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