Two student ensembles were unable to perform in the Asteria Theatre on Dec. 2 to make way for the second performance of “Mrs. Doubtfire.” This performance opens the Asteria Theatre’s 2025-26 Broadway season.
CMU Choirs and String Orchestra combined ensembles for their final concert of the fall semester. Student musicians expected the performance to be held in the Asteria Theatre but it was moved to the Avalon Theatre in downtown Grand Junction.
Some student musicians were frustrated by the change. This move meant that equipment had to be transported from campus to the Avalon. Sophomore music education major Creager Gould plays upright bass in the orchestra and said moving larger instruments like his was an avoidable inconvenience.
“Well, it’s a pain in the ass ‘cause I have to take an upright bass to Asteria—or, not Asteria, that’s a pain in the ass on it’s own, but I have to take it to the Avalon, so I have to find a way to get it there, which, I mean, not a huge deal, but it is mildly frustrating,” Gould said.
Senior music education major and vocalist Cas Knight said the music department may not be able to record the concert. The Asteria, Robinson Theatre and Love Recital Hall all have recording equipment permanently installed.
“Because of this we might not be able to record, and it just creates all kinds of other issues that we have to fix even though it shouldn’t be our responsibility to as students,” Knight said.
Knight said that students should get priority in the Asteria.
“I think it’s kind of frustrating because whenever you’re at this school we were kind of under the impression that we kind of get first dibs when I mean the bulk of this stuff has been in the works for a long time, and it just seems like it happened out of nowhere,” Knight said.
Gould believes the music department needs to prioritize scheduling.
“The music department has really just dropped the ball with scheduling this year. Between scheduling classes, scheduling concerts, everything has just kind of gone to crap,” Gould said. “There’s been so many concerts that have been double-booked.”
Gould said recently that the commercial ensemble was double-booked with the marching band. This meant that many students were also double-booked because they’re in both ensembles as well as low audience turnout because of it.
Junior cello performance major Nykyta Shulick and other students said they understood that the Asteria needs to make money. The Broadway series and many other ticketed events are part of revenue for the school which helps offset tuition increases.
“I think the orchestra students enjoy playing in the Asteria, however, everybody I have talked to understands that if the Asteria has to make money on that night, they have to make more money than we’re gonna bring in,” Shulick said.
Not all students see the move as an inconvenience. Shulick said they were excited to play at the Avalon Theater.
“I think it’s a really cool opportunity to give the orchestra, to play in a historical theater, and I think it will be fun to do so,” Shulick said.
The Avalon Theatre was built in 1923 by Walter Walker, who at the time was the publisher for the Daily Sentinel. Grand Junction took over ownership in the mid 90s and it was renovated in 2014.
Both the Avalon and Asteria are managed by Oak View Group, a third party venue management contractor that oversees all operations such as employees, booking and event scheduling.
This scheduling conflict appears to be a one-off as 11 of the next 26 scheduled events for the Department of Music are scheduled for Asteria Theatre. The Avalon is only listed as a venue for the Holiday Concert on Dec. 2.
