Alexander Music Building

Item

Building Name
Alexander Music Building
Description
The current Alexander Music Building is the second building on EMU's campus to be named after the Department Head.
Namesake Biography
Frederick Alexander was born on the 23rd of December, 1870, to Samuel George and Martha Emma (Hanchet) Alexander. He received an A.B. from the University of Michigan in 1894; privately studied organ with J.C. Batchelder of Detroit, and studied theory with Professor A.A. Stanley of Ann Arbor. Alexander's accomplishments were numerous; he was the Head of the Department of Music and the Director of the Conservancy of Music at Michigan State Normal College, 1909-1941. During his tenure at M.S.N.C, Alexander was the Head of the Department of Music at the University of California, Berkeley (summers), 1919-1921, and was a Lecturer on History of Music at Northwestern University, summer, 1928. Other accomplishments include the Director of Music at the opening of the Greek Theater, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, 1906; Conductor of the Normal Choir and All Choral Ensemble, M.S.N.C. 1909-1941; Conductor of Choral Music, California State Normal School, San Francisco, summer, 1921; Conductor, Massed Chorus Festival, Washington D.C., 1929-1930; Guest Conductor, National High Schools Chorus, Chicago, 1930; Conductor, Bach Festival (combined choirs from Michigan High Schools and Normal Choir), 1931-1941; Conducted the first Michigan performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion in Ypsilanti, April 27, 1922; inaugurated choral music in Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C., April 23, 1934, under Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Foundation sponsorship. Alexander also served as the Dean of the Michigan Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and served as the organist of several Detroit churches, most notably the Woodward Avenue Baptist Church. He was also an active member of the Detroit Athletic Club, Detroit Boat Club, the University Clubs of Detroit and Chicago, and the Washtenaw County Country Club. Frederick Alexander died October 14, 1955, in Lemon Grove, California; with his passing he provided $90,000 for the purchase and installation of a pipe organ for Pease Auditorium.
Building Namesake
Frederick Alexander, Music Department Head, 1909 - 1941
Year Constructed
14-Oct-78
Date Dedicated
18-Oct-80
Building Functions
Music Department, classrooms, rehearsal space, recital halls; Foreign Languages Department, and classrooms
Architect
Wakely Associates, Inc.
Original Cost
7065534
Architectural Style
International
Square Footage
86000
Rights
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the owner, Eastern Michigan University Archives (lib_archives@emich.edu).
Item sets
Campus Buildings