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After Charles\u2019 passing in 1926, Hattie Corby remained in the residence until she passed away in 1941. A flagship program of Strathmore\u2019s Institute for Artistic and Professional Development, the Artist in Residence (AIR) program4 was created more than a decade ago to support artists as they transition to professional careers. Strathmore Artists in Residence benefit from the support of mentor musicians, participate in professional development seminars, and are offered extensive performance opportunities throughout the 10-month program.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The venue presents over 150 performances a year and over 75 arts and music education classes each week. The Neo-Georgian mansion has columned porticos, Palladian windows and a hilltop setting, It was designed by Appleton P. Clark, Jr., and constructed in 1902 as a summer home for Captain James F. Oyster, Mrs. James Oyster and their family. In 1908, the Oysters sold the residence and its 99 acres (400,000 m2) to Charles I. Corby and his wife, Hattie. It was used as a summer home until 1914 when it was remodeled by architect Charles Keene, and became the permanent abode for the Corby family. Mr. Corby died in 1926 after acquiring nearly 400 acres (1.6 km2) of surrounding land and maintaining a fully operational dairy farm and a private golf course.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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The Education Center, located at the opposite end of the building, features four expansive rehearsal spaces, including a dance studio with a sprung floor and two rehearsal rooms with 40-foot (12 m) high ceilings. This wing of the building also features a children\u2019s music classroom, a small two-story rehearsal room and nine solo and small group practice spaces. More than 5,000 artists and 2 million visitors have attended exhibitions, concerts, teas, educational events and outdoor festivals since 1983. In 1996, the Mansion closed for a $3.2 million renovation that created the Gudelsky Gallery Suite, and a 4-story addition that houses the Lockheed Martin Conference Room, an expanded Shop at Strathmore, and new administrative offices. In addition to exterior improvements, the renovation saw the addition of a sculpture garden, which features pieces along a path winding through 11 acres of landscaped grounds.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Take the stairs or elevators to the 4th level and walk across the sky bridge to the Concert Hall. Located on the Bou Family Terrace, “Tetra Con Brio,” a monumental sculpture of cast bronze, steel, and polished concrete, stands 12 feet (3.7 m) tall and weighs 4,500 pounds. In 1998, the Montgomery County Council and the Maryland State Legislature approved matching capital support ($48 million each) for the Music Center at Strathmore.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The concert hall opened in 2005 and was built on the 11-acre site of the Strathmore Mansion, a 19th-century home which had been owned by Montgomery County since 1981. For more than two decades, the Mansion at Strathmore has provided intimate artistic programs with its 100-seat Dorothy M. And Maurice C. Shapiro Music Room, the Gudelsky Gallery Suite exhibition spaces, the outdoor Gudelsky Concert Pavilion, and outdoor Sculpture Gardens. Built in 1902, the Mansion at Strathmore is home to intimate artistic programs presented by Strathmore including our Music in the Mansion and Artist in Residence concert series. Visitors can also explore our galleries and current exhibitions, indulge in Afternoon Tea, stroll through the sculpture gardens, and find a special something at the Shop at Strathmore. There are more than two dozen exhibitions each season from local artists and from collaborations with renowned museums, such as the Baltimore Museum.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
In 1908, The Oysters sold the house and 99 adjoining acres to Charles and Hattie Corby. The Corby family enjoyed the house as a summer retreat until 1912, when they contracted Charles Barton Keen to make extensive modifications. Known to locals as the \u201cCorby Farm,\u201d the grounds had a fully operational dairy farm, greenhouse complex, private golf course, and many other outbuildings.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Strathmore is dedicated to creating a vibrant arts community that welcomes everyone. In 2016, Strathmore formalized it’s commitment to ensuring access to the arts with the Bloom initiative. Through an expansive partnership with Montgomery County\u2019s schools, and an investment in free public arts programs throughout the community, Bloom helps Strathmore reach over 23,000 neighbors annually.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Today, the organization\u2019s hallmark is the Music Center at Strathmore, with a 1,976-seat concert hall and education complex that debuted in 2005. Strathmore quickly established itself as an important new cultural resource\u2014not just for Montgomery County, but for the entire Metro DC region. The Mansion was bustling with energy and many of Strathmore\u2019s most enduring offerings\u2014including intimate concerts in the Music Room, Afternoon Tea, visual arts exhibitions, and wedding venue\u2014began during this time. Read on to trace the history of the Mansion at Strathmore, from its turn-of-the-century roots as a grand summer estate to its transformation into a spirited arts center. The Mansion at Strathmore is home to intimate artistic programs presented by Strathmore. A six-story, 64-foot (20 m) high glass wall in the Lockheed Martin Lobby features 402 panes of glass, and opens to the outdoor Trawick Terrace that overlooks the Strathmore campus.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n