America's Most Beautiful Concert Hall
Severance Music Center, home of The Cleveland Orchestra since 1931, is one of Cleveland’s most treasured landmarks and among the world's most admired concert halls. Located in University Circle, Severance was designed by the Cleveland firm Walker & Weeks and funded largely through a $1 million gift from John and Elisabeth Severance. The hall’s creation was the result of years of advocacy by Orchestra founder Adella Prentiss Hughes and the Musical Arts Association.
Today, Severance houses the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Concert Hall, named in 2021 following a $50 million grant from the Mandel Foundation, as well as Reinberger Chamber Hall, an intimate space ideal for smaller ensembles, recitals, and lectures. The building is used year-round for concerts, rehearsals, and education programs, and is also available to community organizations for performances and private gatherings. A $36 million renovation completed in 2000 restored the hall’s original Art Deco details, improved patron amenities, modernized backstage areas, and preserved its legendary acoustics.
Recognized by the Cleveland Landmarks Commission and the National Register of Historic Places, Severance Music Center is a symbol of Cleveland’s philanthropic spirit and commitment to the arts.
For a virtual tour of Severance Music Center and some deeper historical context, visit our interactive Google Arts & Culture page.
Parking
The most convenient parking option is Case Western Reserve University's (CWRU) Campus Center Garage. The garage is located directly adjacent to Severance off East Blvd., and provides stair and elevator access to the hall.
Pre-Paid Parking
Pre-paid parking can be acquired at the point of purchase when you reserve your tickets for a concert online or over the phone. If you decide to reserve parking after purchasing tickets for a concert, passes are also available through most concert pages and/or by calling the Ticket Office.
Availability for pre-paid parking fluctuates from concert-to-concert.
Accessible Parking
Accessible Parking is available in the Campus Center Garage on a first-come, first-served basis for vehicles bearing valid DMV accessible parking placards or license.
Garage staff can direct you to those parking areas as well as van-accessible parking spaces. Prepaid parking is not required but still recommended to ensure a spot in the garage.
Additional Parking
Additional event parking is available in the Case Western Reserve University Lot 1 off Euclid Ave. across from Severance; at the University Circle Lot 13A on Adelbert Road; and at the Cleveland Botanical Garden parking garage on East Blvd.
Design & History
The building’s architectural significance has been recognized by local and national preservation societies, including the Cleveland Landmarks Commission and the National Register of Historic Places, and Severance is a recipient of the Honor Award by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Designed by the Cleveland architectural firm Walker & Weeks, the building is named for John L. Severance and his wife, Elisabeth, who initially pledged $1 million for its construction. Elisabeth died unexpectedly early in the design process, and John Severance made additional contributions toward the building in her memory.
A $36-million restoration and expansion of Severance was completed in January 2000. The two-year Renovation Project was undertaken to restore the hall's original detailing, expand its patron amenities and services, retain and enhance its legendary acoustics, and to update its performance and support spaces to once again provide a state-of-the-art home for the Orchestra. The highest goal of the project, designed by David M. Schwarz Architectural Services of Washington D.C., was the preservation of Severance's acclaimed beauty and architectural integrity.
On September 30, 2021, it was announced that the main performance space would be named the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Concert Hall, in recognition of the historic $50-million grant from the Cleveland-based Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation. Learn more about this historic grant and its impact, here.
Rentals & Private Booking
Rent a space at Severance for your wedding, party, or corporate event.
From the gilded splendor of the Bogomolny-Kozerefski Grand Foyer and the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Concert Hall, to the intimate atmosphere of our Taplin-First Energy Suite and Reinberger Chamber Hall, the fine details of meetings, conferences, galas, and events are enhanced by our impeccable service and attention to detail.
In addition to singular events, Severance offers the perfect space to entertain concert attendees for before and/or after concerts.