"The concert hall, the centerpiece of the Schwartz Center is a jewel. The shoe-box hall is both intimate and soaring." Catherine Fox, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Emory University's new Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts opened on February 1, 2003, in Atlanta, Georgia. The $36.6 million center includes the Emerson Concert Hall, an 825-seat hall with choral balcony and an orchestra pit. The shoe-box shaped hall can be "tuned" acoustically by adjustable fabric banners around the sides of the room. In addition to the concert hall the 87,000 square foot center includes a theatre lab, to be used by Theater Emory; a dance studio for the use of Emory Dance, a large rehearsal hall, practice rooms, classrooms, music library and Green room.

Theatre Projects Consultants worked with the University for ten years, planning and developing the concept for the Schwartz Center. Robert Long and David Rosenburg were the TPC project managers. They worked with Rosemary Magee, Executive Director of the Arts Center Project and Senior Associate Dean; Randy Fullerton, Managing Director of the Arts Center Project and Stuart Adler, Project Manager for the University.

In addition to the planning and programming for the center, TPC also supplied full theatre consulting services including performance equipment and adjustable acoustic devices design and specification.

The architects for the Schwarz Center are Michael Dennis and Associates, Boston; Howard Montgomery Steger, New Orleans; and Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart, Atlanta. The acoustician was Kirkegaard and Associates, Chicago.

Opening season programs include Emory Baroque Artists, violinist Sarah Chang, eighth blackbird chamber music group, Emory Chamber Music Society and the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony. The center will be widely used by Emory's music, theatre, dance and film departments and plans a full program of performances by students and faculty.