Historic Holmberg Hall

Historic Holmberg Hall. . This portion of the Donald W. Reynolds Performing Arts Center was known historically as Holmberg Hall in honor of Fredrik Holmberg (1872-1936), longtime professor of music and the first dean of the College of Fine Arts. Born in Sweden and educated at Bethany College, Kansas, where he taught before coming to OU, Holmberg joined the fine arts faculty in September 1903. He taught music theory and became the head of the School of Fine Arts. Established in 1908, it was the first comprehensive school of fine arts established in the Central Plains states. During the reorganization of the university under President Arthur G. Evans in 1909, his title was changed to dean. He retained this position when the School of Fine Arts was given college status in 1924. , During his tenure at OU, Holmberg did much to bolster music both in the university and the state. Shortly after becoming the head of Fine Arts, he used a series of concerts to promote the university to the state citizenry. In 1913, he inaugurated an annual interscholastic music contest for high school students. He also founded the Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra, and served as its first director. Holmberg continued to serve as professor of music and as Dean of the College of Fine Arts until his death on January 1, 1936. , Holmberg Hall, which was originally known simply as the Auditorium, was completed in 1918. It was renamed in honor of Dean Holmberg in 1938. In 2005, it became part of the Donald W. Reynolds Performing Arts Center. The center was established through a generous gift from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation which provided for the restoration of the auditorium and the music practice facility and the addition of a new home for the university's nationally recognized School of Dance.