Theater Arts

As of the Fall of 2017, the Theater Arts program has moved to its new home in W97. 

This newly completed space brings the energy and spirit of the Program in Theater Arts to the western edge of campus. It includes a mix of classrooms, studios and fabrication spaces with a performance space as the heart of the building. It expresses our belief in the idea of the continuous studio – a studio that includes theory, experimentation, innovation and practice.
 
If you have questions regarding the use of the spaces within W97, please contact mta-w97@mit.edu. Tours of the building may be available upon request.

 

Classrooms

Music and Theater Arts (MTA) manages and grants access to five Registrar classrooms located on the first and third floors of Building 4. Emerson/Harris Piano scholarship students and ONE student in each Chamber Music Society (CMS) group are granted access to these rooms for practice. All classrooms have pianos. 

  1. Rm. 4-148: Yamaha C3 grand and Mason & Hamlin upright
  2. Rm. 4-152: Steinway B grand
  3. Rm. 4-158: Steinway B grand and Yamaha upright
  4. Rm. 4-162: Steinway B grand
  5. Rm. 4-364: 2 Yamaha grands and a Fisk single manual harpsichord

For access, contact: mta-request@mit.edu.

There is no access to classrooms during the summer. 

 

Association of Student Activities (ASA) Classroom access

Access is granted to ASA groups from 8pm to 12am Monday through Friday and from 7am to 12am on Saturday and Sunday. The reservation system for ASA students does not open until two weeks into the semester to ensure class reservations, CMS, and Emerson/Harris times are reserved. 

There is no access to classrooms during the summer. 

 

Classroom Use Policy

MTA academic classes and ensembles, curricular rehearsals and requests from MTA faculty and staff have priority to use the five MTA managed Registrar classrooms in building 4.

  • Users must have an approved reservation requested through EMS. If you aren’t sure if you have EMS access, please email mta-reserve@mit.edu.
  • Users must restore the initial furniture set-up when leaving the room. A photo of each setup is found in the classroom, next to the door. Failure to do this may result in immediate suspension of classroom use privileges.
  • No Drinks or Food allowed in the classrooms.
  • Classrooms are to remain locked and with windows shut.  Do not prop the door open.  
  • Noise prohibitions: Amplified instruments and rock band rehearsals.
  • Please do not move or unplug the pianos.
  • Classroom reservations are not transferable—all users must initiate the classroom reservation online. A change in occupancy must be approved and noted by MTA and the reservation officially transferred to a new user. 
  • If you need to cancel your reservation, please email mta-reserve@mit.edu promptly.

Note: access to equipment in the MTA managed Registrar classrooms must be requested. Additional usage guidance will be provided when access to the equipment is given. Please contact mta-reserve@mit.edu for more details.

 

Practice Rooms

 

GENERAL POLICY:

There are 8 practice rooms located in Building 4 (4-260), each of which is equipped with a piano.

-Who is eligible to use practice rooms?

  • Students in MTA classes or ensembles are granted unrestricted (24/7) access.
  • Anyone with an active MIT ID automatically has access from 7 AM to 11 AM 7 days a week.
  • Students auditioning for MTA performance ensembles are granted access from 7 AM to 11 PM through the end of the audition period each semester.

-How do students reserve a MTA Practice Room?

  • Practice rooms are available on a first come, first served basis.  Practice rooms may not be reserved unless they are being used specifically for classes.  If a specific room is reserved for a class/lesson, the booking will be displayed on the iPad mounted on the wall in 4-260.  Faculty may reach out directly to the Events Office (musicevents@mit.edu) to book practice room space.

Some of the campus dormitories have small practice rooms. Two practice rooms are located on the 4th floor of the Stratton Student Center (W20) and are available to all MIT community members with an MIT ID card. For information regarding the Student Center practice rooms, contact the Campus Activities Complex W20-5th floor of the Student Center, 253-3913.

 

Classroom and Practice Room Access

  • Access to Music Classrooms, Practice Rooms and Piano Lab is via MIT ID card only. 
  • Access to groups in the MIT Chamber Music Society will be given to one designated member.
  • Access to officially recognized ASA groups will be given only to the director of the group.

 

Computer Music and Piano Lab

The Piano Lab in building 24  (24-033a) contains a classroom space with six digital pianos. In addition, there is an office for the Lab Instructors as well as sound-proof practice room with a well-maintained acoustic piano. The Piano Lab supports the work of students enrolled in 21M.015, 21M.301 and 21M.302. In addition, students are welcome to use the Lab to practice at times when Labs are not in session.

 

Killian Hall

Killian Hall is a 140-seat performance space used primarily for solo and chamber music recitals, lectures, and theater readings. Faculty in Music and Theater Arts have first rights and full authority to reserve the space.  Reservations from outside the program will be considered on a case-by-case basis.   Use is subject to a rental fee.  For more information or to submit a rental request, please email musicevents@mit.edu.

 

The Rosalind Denny Lewis Music Library

The Rosalind Denny Lewis Music Library serves the instructional, research, and recreational needs of the MIT community. The collection contains books, journals, scores, CDs, DVDs, streaming audio and video, e-scores/e-books, and music databases. The library collects classical, world, jazz, popular, electronic, folk, and film music, among others.
 
There are listening/viewing areas, comfortable study spaces, equipment to digitize various audio formats, plus iMac stations with music software.  The library circulates audio and video equipment, such as handheld audio/video recorders and microphones. The library space hosts many music lectures and recitals.  A friendly and knowledgeable staff is ready to help you.
 
The library was renovated in 1996. Watch the Lewis Music Library 20th anniversary video here.