University of Idaho Campus Photographs Collection

History

The building was originally named the Music Building and was renamed in 1987 in honor of jazz legend Lionel Hampton. It became the first school of music in the United States named after a jazz musician and remains the only one named after an African American jazz musician. The facility historically served as an educational and performance space for student musicians and continues as a central venue for the university’s musical instruction and cultural life. Since 1967, it has hosted workshops and concerts during the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, which grew to become the largest education-based jazz festival in the country. Hampton supported the university’s dedication to music education and pledged his help to advance jazz instruction and performance.

Design

The structure exhibits late Collegiate Gothic design elements. It features dramatic arched stone entryways, grouped grid windows, and ornamental lanterns. Entrances are highlighted with wood and metal doors framed in stone and surrounded by vertical rectangular windows, emphasizing verticality and traditional campus architectural vocabulary.

Physical Description

The building rises four stories in a rectangular form and is constructed of reinforced concrete with a pitched roof. The exterior showcases brick masonry laid in stretcher bond. Windows are multi-sash, often grouped in sets of three with narrow spacing between. The building’s Gothic-style elements harmonize with other historic campus architecture while supporting its function as a music education and performance facility.

Lionel Hampton

Lionel Hampton (1908–2002) was a pioneering jazz vibraphonist and bandleader whose contributions to music education left a lasting legacy at the University of Idaho.¹ In 1984, Hampton performed at the university’s jazz festival, marking the beginning of a significant partnership. Impressed by the festival’s educational focus, he returned annually with his New York Big Band, offering performances and workshops to students. ² In 1985, the festival was renamed the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in his honor. ³ Two years later, in 1987, the university named its School of Music after Hampton, making it the first such institution in the U.S. to bear the name of a jazz musician and the only one named after an African American jazz musician. Hampton continued to support the festival and music education at the university until his passing in 2002. ⁴

In recognition of his dedication, Hampton was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Idaho in 1988. His personal papers and memorabilia were also donated to the university, becoming part of the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Collection, which preserves his legacy and contributions to jazz and music education.[^8]

Notes

https://www.ijc.uidaho.edu/hampton_collection/lionel_and_ui.html [^8]: Ibid.

Images of Lionel Hampton Music Building