Kutztown University and the Kutztown University Foundation hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony dedicating the Wells-Rapp Center for Mallet Percussion Research on Saturday, Sept. 9.
Named for Dr. Richard G. Wells, professor emeritus, and Dr. Willis M. Rapp, KU Foundation Board member and professor emeritus, the facility is home to the university’s growing collection of music, photos and artifacts, along with the rare and valuable vintage collection of mallet percussion instruments that have been acquired over three decades.
“This facility will be a performance and practice space for our entire music program; most notably students in our percussion programs, chamber groups, piano lessons and performances, and other small assembles,” KU President Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson said in the college’s announcement.
The Wells-Rapp Center is a working facility, open to students as well as researchers, and will allow access to play the instruments as well as view the one-of-a-kind materials unique to the center.
“It will be a place for research in music history, music appreciation, and small-museum administration,” Hawkinson said. “In this space, we will celebrate the contributions that women and underrepresented groups have made to mallet percussion and other forms of music.”
Opened during the 2023 spring semester, the 13,250 square foot Wells-Rapp Center is adjacent to Schaeffer Auditorium. It features eight rooms that house five major collections acquired to date, with rooms dedicated for future display of new collections. A 2,100 square-foot performance space is included within the building to allow display of the entire collection of vintage instruments.
“This will be place that will be open to all students, faculty and the community-at-large, so that all can come together and celebrate history, culture, and community,” Hawkinson said. “This center will be unique in the entire world and will bring great prestige to Kutztown University as a destination for faculty and student research and performance.”
Together, We’re Golden
This project was part of the Kutztown University Foundation’s “Together, We’re Golden” campaign, which raised $46,852,180 to create scholarships, bolster emergency funds and enhance student experiences.
The campaign, the largest in the university’s history, had two goals: raise $40 million and strengthen KU’s network by engaging with alumni and friends for 40,000 hours. The engagement goal was also exceeded, totaling 56,734 hours.
“I am humbled by the support of the alumni, donors and friends who made this campaign a success,” said Alex Ogeka, executive director of the KU Foundation. “To have exceeded both our fundraising and engagement goals is a monumental accomplishment — and to have done so in the midst of a global pandemic is a true testament to the passion and determination of the Golden Bear spirit.”
Through the course of Together, We’re Golden, the KU Foundation created 163 scholarships, identified more than 10,000 new donors and worked with donors to bring their philanthropic visions to life on campus with projects.
Among the projects are the Wells-Rapp Center, DeLight E. Breidegam Building headquarters of the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center, Fred and Martha ’02 Hafer Scanning Electron Microscope Lab, Nancy Jean Stump Seiger ’54 Botanical Research Center, C. R. Chambliss Astronomical Observatory and the Beebe Family Conference Room in the newly renovated de Francesco Building.
For more about the Kutztown University Foundation, visit www.kuf.org. For more about the Wells-Rapp Center visit https://www.kucmpr.org/.
Source: Berkshire mont