Laurier donors save their seats and raise $84,000 to Make Space for Music

Since the start of 2024, 165 Laurier alumni, faculty, staff, music lovers and friends of Wilfrid Laurier University have raised $84,000 toward the Faculty of Music so far.  

By making a $500 gift to the Making Space for Music Campaign, donors selected 168 individual refurbished seats in the Faculty of Music’s main performance space, the Maureen Forrester Recital Hall, to showcase a short message of their choice.  

“Naming a seat is a wonderful way to create a lasting impact in this iconic space, shape the future for upcoming students, and contribute to your own legacy at Laurier” said Jason Coolman, vice-president of advancement and external relations at Laurier. “I’m so grateful to the many donors who helped Make Space for Music at Laurier.” 

From staff and faculty members naming seats in honour of beloved friends, recent Faculty of Music alumni celebrating cherished memories, to family members providing words of encouragement to future students, donors have eagerly taken the opportunity to have a lasting place in Faculty of Music history. 

“When we conceived of the idea of new seats in the hall, one company shared that the steel frames of the original seats were in great shape. That’s when we decided not to replace, but to refurbish. We loved the idea of maintaining the well-made frames and creating a beautiful ‘re-make,’” said Cynthia Johnston Turner, Dean of Laurier’s Faculty of Music. “Thank you for helping to create a vastly improved performance space for current and future Laurier students, faculty, alumni, musicians and music lovers in Waterloo Region and beyond.” 

There’s still time to Save Your Seat! While seats are still available, your $500 donation will name a refurbished seat in the Maureen Forrester Recital Hall with a plaque that showcases your chosen message within a 25-character limit. You will receive a tax receipt for the full amount of your gift. 

All donations go directly toward the Making Space for Music campaign, which aims to renovate and expand Laurier’s Faculty of Music building – now named the Savvas Chamberlain Music Building after a transformative gift from longtime Laurier supporter Savvas Chamberlain – into an improved space for teaching, practicing, rehearsing and performing.  

Come on in and join us!