Severance Music Center

Introduction

America's Most Beautiful Concert Hall

Regarded by many music-lovers as one of the world's most beautiful concert halls, Severance opened in 1931 as the home of The Cleveland Orchestra. Today, the main concert hall is known as the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Concert Hall.

Severance serves as the home of The Cleveland Orchestra for concerts, rehearsals, and administration. The building is also rented by a variety of local organizations and private citizens for performances, meetings, and gala events.

For a virtual tour of Severance Music Center and some deeper historical context, visit our interactive Google Arts & Culture page.

Directions & Parking

Directions

Severance is located on the campus of Case Western Reserve University in University Circle, about 4 miles east of Downtown Cleveland, at the corner of Euclid Avenue and East Boulevard.

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.

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.

Learn More

Seating Charts

View Seating Chart

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.