History: Brandt Music Hall sits on the hill overlooking the center of campus and the Golden Eagles Marching Band’s practice field. Completed in 1956, the original plans were to construct a science building.  Construction began under President Walter Winfield Parker, but after suffering a stroke he was unable to see the completion of the building.  The University’s 10th President Mark Scully completed the construction, but during construction the decision was made to change the purpose of the building to music.  The building was named after J. Clyde Brandt, a longtime professor of music at Southeast.   

Building Use: Since the addition of the River Campus and the Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts in 2007, Brandt Hall has taken on a new life and intertwined the original use of the building as home to the music programs with an eclectic mix of departments and programs.  It remains the practice venue for the Golden Eagles Marching Band, and the home of Southeast’s popular music instruction venue for the community, the Music Academy.  Located on the third floor are practice rooms for vocal and instrumental students’ use.  Classrooms are interspersed throughout the building.

Brandt Hall also houses the office of the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, the Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology, a part of the College of Health and Human Services, and the Godwin Center for Science and Mathematics, an educational resource center for teachers and students serving the southeast Missouri region.

Fun Fact: Although the music department is well known for a variety of programs, the Golden Eagles Marching Band has certainly attracted the most attention.  With decades of recognition, the Golden Eagles have performed at Super Bowl halftimes and Thanksgiving Day Parades. Additionally, the Golden Eagles became the second collegiate band from the United States to play in the Scotland’s Military Tattoo in the summer of 1999, and returned for a second performance in the summer of 2008. Although the University has a sizable music program, students from any major are encouraged to participate in the bands, choirs, and orchestra.  For example, only about 1/3 of the Golden Eagles are music majors.       

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