Koinonia House Essay

1103 Words3 Pages

Standing amongst musically-adept buildings that easily dwarf it and construction that does not help its aged appearance, the Schmidt Vocal Arts Centers (SVAC) stands as a rehearsal, office, and studio spot for all vocal students—major and minor alike. Looking back into the history of the building, it once stood as the Koinonia House and was changed after in honor and recognition of the William E. and Casiana Schmidt's gift to the Opera Theatre program. This could explain the exterior design of the building which does not appear as expressionistic as one would expect. The building is bland with a plain, rectangular shape, brick walls, and a detached atmosphere surrounding it. The building, however, is not actually as old as it may appear. After expressing my opinion about …show more content…

A group of mix-matched chairs is forced into a singular, tight space in the lobby. Anyone who enters and waits must wait in such close contact with those around them. Awkward silence is seemingly inevitable. People constantly remark about the little amount of sitting, making comments such as “if only we had a couch,” but they fix this problem by using the open area of the floor. While this goes against the design of the building, it works well and allows a larger group of students to interact. Despite this closeness, I noticed this forced contact has actually engaged conversation rather than limited it. While the SVAC is not a designated social circle, it can certainly become a hub if one goes at the right time. Students come in, happily singing away at their favorite show tunes, arias, or contemporary pieces. Some join in. Mini-performances stem from even the smallest of conversations with students singing casual phrases in a joking manner. There is a performance air around the older students, as would be expected due to years of practice, preparation, and

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