The Bowld - Phillips Exeter Academy

A sound idea

The expansion of the Forrestal-Bowld Music Center was conceived and built to realize a vision of elevating music and the performing arts at Exeter. The centerpiece of that work was The Bowld, a performance space whose exquisite acoustics match its dazzling beauty.

Bowld vision

“The Bowld” is named after Bill Bowld ’43, a longtime supporter of music at Exeter.

The 250-seat performance space opened in 2016. Its signature glass wall serves as a magnificent backdrop for performers, and the room’s sublime acoustics allow both musicians and audience members to hear and feel the music as it is intended.

Raising the bar

The class of 1959 has forged a legacy of philanthropy at the Academy, represented best by its generosity in supporting the expansion of the Forrestal-Bowld Music building. The Class of 1959 Music Center, as the addition was dedicated in 2016, included a recording studio, extra teaching and ensemble spaces and updated practice rooms and a new music, media and technology center. But its crowning feature was the Bowld Recital Hall, a 250-seat performance space, that elevated music performance at the school.

Today, half of Exeter’s student body is involved in music in one form or another, and hundreds perform in The Bowld throughout the school year. “The acoustics … are extraordinary,” says Peter Schultz, instructor emeritus in music. “The room is tunable and can be adjusted according to the type of group using the space and the desired sound. It’s hard to imagine a more stunning and congenial environment in which to make music.”

‘The core of who we are’

Making music is an important piece of the Exeter experience for so many of our students. “The performing arts tap into the core of who students are as people,” says Rohan Smith, instructor in Music. “And they engage their energies at such a fundamental level that it can really change the course of their lives.”

Having the best physical space to put that energy into practice is critical. The Bowld is that space.

Making music

“I’ve never had so many kids hungry to do stuff. I was like, ‘Wow, I gotta keep up.’” — Marcus Rabb, chair of the Music Department.

"When it comes to building relationships, I don’t know what tool is more powerful than communal singing.” — Kristofer Johnson, instructor in Music

“Composing is a messy process. You don’t know how it’s going to sound until it comes to life.” — Eric Schultz, instructor in Music.