The Grand Opening of the Performing Arts Center & Learning Commons at St. Mary's College of Maryland on Saturday, September 24 was a wonderful event to celebrate and showcase the new 700-seat concert hall auditorium with the opening performance. The new buildings are home for the Department of Music and for the Educational Studies program at SMCM. The spaces are designed to support the academic programs and the young performers with special attention to acoustics and the intimacy of the spaces, creating and engagement between the performers and audience that builds confidence and inspires achievement.