College strengthens relationship with Marlboro Music
On April 27, architects from the firm of HGA Architects and Engineers met with community members to share initial concepts for two new buildings on campus, an exciting development in the collaborative partnership between Marlboro College and Marlboro Music. The college has been the summer venue for the world-renowned chamber music festival since its founding, and the boards of both institutions are working to strengthen their relationship to the benefit of each.
“This is a remarkable and perhaps un-paralleled partnership that has endured for nearly seven decades, built upon a shared commitment to innovative educational approaches and close collaboration between teacher and student,” said Marlboro College President Kevin Quigley. “Boards of both institutions are working to extend this partnership for at least another 99 years, and move beyond the constraints of a landlord-tenant relationship.”
Negotiations are still underway regarding details for Marlboro Music to support the construction of a new classroom-office building and a dormitory, providing $9 million or approximately 85 percent of the total financing needed. Both buildings will be used by Marlboro Music during the summer, with the classroom building being converted to rehearsal spaces and including a permanent location for their music library.
Minneapolis-based HGA is the same firm that built cottages for Marlboro Music senior artists in 2014, on land west of campus, positively reviewed by Architect Magazine. Their intention is to build two new buildings on campus that blend in with the forested surroundings, in keeping with the aesthetic of historic buildings at the heart of campus, with construction starting as early as this fall.
“It is our hope that both buildings will generate much excitement and positive feedback by members of our communities and others,” said Philip Maneval, manager of Marlboro Music. “Our ultimate goal is that these buildings will advance our organizations’ respective missions for many decades to come, while providing a powerful example for reimagining the Vermont country aesthetic that we all love, and which makes Potash Hill such a unique and compelling place.”
Marlboro College and Marlboro Music are also discussing building a closer programmatic relationship, including internships for Marlboro students during the festival and Marlboro Music artists-in-residence at the college. The two institutions may even benefit from marketing efforts that tout their long and still growing relationship.