Russell Hall (1960)

The Board of Regents approved the project as part of a campus capital improvement plan that included a new Health Center, an addition to the Arts and Industries Building, power plant enhancements, and land acquisition for campus expansion. The Regents selected local architects Thorson, Brom, and Henry and general contractor John G. Miller Company, both of Waterloo. Professor Myron Russell, head of the Department of Music, stated that music faculty had long considered ideas for a new building. He visited music facilities on other campuses and offered a series of useful suggestions to the architects.

The contractor broke ground in June 1960 in an area that was then on the western edge of campus and work progressed rapidly. The music program moved out of its old quarters and into the new Music Building in February 1962. Professor Russell was very pleased with the new facilities. The number of practice rooms increased from 13 to 31; instrument lockers increased from 25 to 151. The building also included a new 4,000-pipe organ made in the Netherlands. Robert Noehren installed the organ in a walnut console in the Music Building auditorium; it was described as the largest organ in Iowa at the time.

The Music Building was remarkable in at least one other respect: it was the first campus building to have art incorporated into its design. This has since become standard in the design and construction of campus buildings. Two major artworks are featured in the Music Building. First, there is the bandshell, designed by art faculty member David Delafield, that forms the south wall of the building. Second, there is the freestanding sculpture on the east side of the building, Symphony in Three Forms, created by art faculty member Don Finegan.  Professor Finegan explained that his work developed out of a need for an outdoor sign denoting the name of the Music Building. The dedication ceremony for the Music Building was held on May 6, 1962. It featured a performance by the Symphony Orchestra and the A Cappela Choir of the cantata "Blind with Rainbows," with lyrics by English faculty member James Hearst and music by music faculty member William Latham. Also included in the ceremony was a march written by Edward Kurtz, former head of the Department of Music.

When it opened, the building had an administrative unit with offices, a lounge, listening rooms, and a music library. It also had many practice rooms, two large rehearsal rooms, and a 600-seat auditorium with an orchestra pit.

The building was known by the functional names Music Hall or the Music Building for its first ten years. In May 1972, the Board of Regents approved a proposal to name the building in honor of Myron E. Russell. In making his recommendation, President John Kamerick said, "Professor Russell has distinguished himself as a performer, teacher, administrator, and leader in the community." Professor Russell served on the faculty for forty-four years and was head of the Department of Music for twenty-one years, retiring in 1973.

Russell Hall underwent several major renovation projects in the early 1980s to make the building more energy-efficient and to correct problems with the HVAC systems. The building was one of the first on campus to have air conditioning but it lacked humidity control, which caused concerns, especially for the delicate musical instruments stored there. Complaints about the acoustics in the auditorium also surfaced occasionally.

By the early 1990s, dissatisfaction with Russell Hall began to crystallize around several points. First, the building was badly overcrowded: facilities built in 1962 could not accommodate the large number of faculty and students in 1990. Second, the building was simply wearing out and becoming outmoded in a number of ways. The construction of the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center took some pressure off the use of Russell Hall. However, John Vallentine, Director of the School of Music, pointed out that eighty percent of School of Music activities still took place in Russell Hall even after the opening of the Performing Arts Center. Consequently, a Russell Hall Renovation Project was added to the University's "Students First" capital campaign and hoped to raise $2 million. Alumni Gayle Rose and Bruce Bengtson began the campaign with significant donations; other major donors included the Hinson Family and Richard and Kris Schultz. Nearly three hundred others also contributed to the campaign, which did exceed its goal. The total budget for the complete renovation project was initially estimated to be about $8 million. This included improved performance and rehearsal space, enhanced studios and classrooms, and new  recording facilities for the Jazz Band and other groups.

At their May 3, 2006 meeting, the Regents approved a schematic design and a budget of $9.8 million for the Russell Hall renovation. Two million dollars would come from private donations; the remainder would be financed by academic revenue bonds. Plans for the project included a two-story addition; renovation of existing facilities; and rehearsal, recording, and performance space for the Jazz Bands. The auditorium would be renovated and new classrooms and studios would be added. New heating, ventilation, and cooling systems would also be installed. The project was expected to begin in February 2007 and be completed in August 2008.

Renovation did indeed begin in February 2007. The western portion of the building was closed and many of the applied music faculty moved to the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. The remainder of the building was closed in May 2007, with faculty moving to temporary offices in the Center for Energy and Environmental Education, Baker Hall, and the Communication Arts Center. 

Construction followed the schedule fairly closely and work was almost complete by the start of the fall 2008 semester. The building was re-dedicated with a series of activities on Friday and Saturday, September 25-26, 2008. On Friday afternoon, there was a dedication ceremony followed by a reception and tours of the renovated building. On Friday evening, the 27th annual Scholarship Benefit Concert occured, featuring alumna Sheri Greenawald and trombonist Nick Lane. The Northern Iowa Symphony Orchestra, the UNI Singers, the Concert Chorale, the Chamber Singers, the Wind Symphony, the Northern Iowa Flute Choir, and faculty pianists Sean Botkin and Genadi Zagor also performed. Jazz Band One, the Northwind Quintet, the Tuba Quartet, the Opera Ensemble, and The Chamber Singers performed at the reception after the concert. On Saturday evening, the School of Music Alumni and Friends held its annual banquet. A concert followed with performances by the UNI Faculty String Quartet, pianist Matt Bengtson, Sheri Greenawald, faculty pianist Marleta Matheson, Jazz Band One alumni, and others.

The renovated Russell Hall included several new features: a chamber music hall, jazz studios, an instrument repair room, two new classrooms, and a music technology laboratory. Updated studios, classrooms, and practice rooms improved teaching and learning spaces for faculty and students. The old auditorium was named Bengtson Auditorium in honor of Bruce Bengtson, an alumnus of 1964 who completed a double major in music and history. He went on to become vice president and treasurer of Maier Bakery in Pennsylvania. During the project, Bengtson Auditorium received new seats and better acoustical arrangements. In the process, seating was reduced from about 660 to about 400.

In August 2008, the Board of Regents approved naming the new wing of Russell Hall in honor of local philanthropist Pauline Barrett, who made a lead gift for the renovation project. Barrett had made earlier gifts to the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center building project and scholarship programs. The Barrett Wing includes a chamber music rehearsal hall, jazz studios, and a kitchen.