Wentz Concert Hall & Fine Arts Center

The 13,000-square-foot Concert Hall was designed to create an intimate feel—yet crafted to provide the superior clarity, warmth and liveliness of sound that are essential to enjoy music of all genres. The acoustics in Wentz Concert Hall have been designed by the Talaske Group, acoustical consultants for Chicago’s critically acclaimed Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park. Its space encompasses 84,000 cubic feet, or 2,200 square feet of additional volume, just to meet the most demanding acoustical standards. The perfect acoustics are on par with New York’s Carnegie Hall.

Architecturally unique as an intimate hall able to accommodate large sound, the Wentz Concert Hall can be “tuned” through the motorized extension and retraction of sound-absorbing curtains. Two massive sound chambers, one on each side of the stage and invisible to the audience, enhance the audio characteristics and allow sound to bounce off multiple planes as it is directed to the audience.

The Wentz Concert Hall showcases concerts by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to recitals by soloists with the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Salzburg Chamber, and all types of performances in-between. The 605-seat hall is also the place for award-winning bands, orchestras and choirs of area high schools to perform, as well as the College’s multitude of music groups and soloists.

At the corner of Chicago Avenue and Ellsworth Street, the Wentz Concert Hall is named in honor of Dr. Myron Wentz, a visionary scientist, entrepreneur and lover of music who provided the lead gift for the Fine Arts Center. Dr. Wentz is also a North Central College alumnus of the Class of 1963.