Michigan State University is putting a $1 million gift toward expanding and renovating its music facilities. The East Lansing school announced Tuesday the money from alumni Byron and Dolores Cook helps launch a project to build a Music Pavilion for the university's College of Music. Plans include adding roughly 35,000 square feet of rehearsal, practice and performance space and renovating 8,500 square feet in the Music Building and Music Practice Building next door.
The Cooks, who live in Greenville, are longtime supporters of the university and its music programs. The Cook Recital Hall, which opened in 2012, bears their name, as will the pavilion's first floor. So far, $9 million has been raised toward the $17.5 million project.
MSU's music school serves about 2,000 students.
