Walker|West Music Academy expanding after $4 million donation

On Monday, the Walker|West Music Academy announced that it is the recipient of a $4 million donation to expand.

The donation from Pat and Gary Sauer will allow the academy to acquire and renovate a St. Paul building at 650 Marshall Ave. for “The Power of Music to Heal Our Community” campaign, said Kathy Graves, a spokesperson for Walker|West Music Academy.

The Marshall Avenue location will include two performance halls, digital labs, a larger rehearsal space, a recording studio, administrative space, instrument storage, and safer parking and pick-up/drop-off options.

“We care about the Rondo community, and Walker|West is a beam of light here,” said Pat Sauer. “We have to make sure that beam stays bright. It’s so easy to get caught up in the doom and gloom of our world, but Walker|West is about hope and joy. There has been real pain in this community, and Walker|West is helping heal and bring back its vibrancy.”

“This amazing gift not only allows us to move forward quickly on our plans, but it also will save us significant financing fees over the next ten years, which means we can invest more in our programming,” said Executive Director Braxton Haulcy. “We are deeply grateful to the Sauers for their vision, generosity, and love of community.”

For more information on Walker|West Music Academy, CLICK HERE.