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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (Feb. 3, 2011) — Milligan College will dedicate the Mary B. Martin Auditorium in Seeger Memorial Chapel on Saturday, Feb. 5, at 7:30 p.m.
The brief dedication ceremony will take place at the beginning of the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra’s concert, featuring a performance of Beethoven’s “Consecration of the House Overture” and guest pianist Chih-Long Hu.
Built in 1967, Seeger Memorial Chapel is a central part of Milligan’s campus, providing a venue for worship, lectures, concerts, drama and instruction. The $500,000 renovation included replacing the auditorium’s original wooden, pew-like seating with new padded, theater-style seating and refinishing the floors. The renovated auditorium seats 1,145 people. A new stage curtain to match the color of the seats has been ordered and will be installed later this month.
The renovations were funded by a generous gift from James C. Martin, of Johnson City, Tenn., in memory of his wife of 42 years, Mary B. Martin.
“The concert on Saturday will be a special evening for Milligan and for the entire community,” said Milligan President Donald R. Jeanes. “The renovations were completed early, so Milligan students have already had the opportunity to worship together in the Mary B. Martin Auditorium. But the symphony concert is the first time the community will experience the beauty and comfort of the new seats.”
The college holds its chapel and convocation services and other arts events in Seeger Chapel. However, the venue is also used year round by many community organizations and fine arts groups. The Johnson City Symphony has performed concerts in Seeger for more than 20 years.
“The impact of the Mary B. Martin Auditorium reaches far beyond Milligan,” Jeanes said. “This gift will be enjoyed by the entire community for many years to come.”
A patron of the arts, Mrs. Martin passed away in 2008. She was a lifelong resident of Johnson City and a member of First Christian Church. She began her 44-year career at Tennessee Eastman Company as a laboratory technician and later obtained a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from East Tennessee State University, studying nights and weekends while working full time at Eastman. Following graduation, she worked as a research chemist, doing exploratory work in new polymer systems. She was awarded two U.S. patents.
Mr. Martin has made other significant contributions to the local arts community, including gifts to East Tennessee State University to establish the Mary B. Martin School of the Arts and to the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough. He also underwrites an annual concert in memory of Mrs. Martin conducted by the Johnson City Symphony.
Tickets to Saturday’s concert are $30 for adults. Discounts are available for senior citizens and students. To purchase advance tickets, visit www.jcsymphony.com.
For more information about Milligan College, visit www.milligan.edu.