Hill Auditorium (1913)
In 1909, University of Michigan Regent Arthur Hill (1865eng) bequeathed to the University the funds to construct an auditorium suitable for superior musical performances and large enough for a gathering of the entire student body. Designed by distinguished Detroit architect Albert Kahn, with his associate Ernest Wilby, Hill Auditorium was completed in 1913, and named for the donor. The exterior reflected the Chicago School of architecture, and the interior featured dramatic decorative details in the warm hues of the Arts and Crafts style. The superb acoustics for which the auditorium is renowned were the result of Kahn's collaboration with New York architect and acoustical engineer Hugh Tallant. The design also accommodated the Frieze Memorial Organ, named for the first director of the University Musical Society, and former University Professor and Acting President, Henry Simmons Frieze. Hill Auditorium has hosted countless distinguished speakers, renowned orchestras,
and famous singers. In 2003, a major renovation project was completed which restored the Arts and Crafts finishes on the interior.
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