Out of all of the beautiful brick buildings at Florida State, the Westcott Building is a staple. From incoming first-year tours to graduation photos, almost every FSU fan and student has a photo of the iconic fountain with the castle-like building in the background. A brick garden surrounds the fountain along with several willow trees and now a statue of former President John Thrasher.
Now, we have all seen the outside of that building whether walking to class or touring for the first time. But what actually lies inside of Westcott?
In my senior year, I finally got to find out. Being the classical music junkie that I am, I went to a Tallahassee Youth Orchestras concert (which was free for FSU students) located in the Westcott Building at Ruby Diamond Auditorium. I’ve seen pictures of the concert hall and vowed that I would go see it in person one day. When I finally got the opportunity to do so and witness a concert that brought back nostalgia from my orchestra days, I now feel like I can graduate in peace.
When I entered the building through the doors behind the Westcott fountain, I went down a couple of stairs that led me to the lower part of the auditorium. My friend and I grabbed a couple of programs and found seats on the right side so I could see the cellos better. Before the concert started, I had a chance to look around the auditorium from my seat. I was imagining the concert hall to be bigger based on the pictures but now that I saw it in person it was much more intricate. There was a balcony in the back as well as on the sides that was unfortunately closed off for this concert. The side balcony seats looked like VIP seating from where I was sitting. The side walls were painted to resemble a night sky with exquisite light fixtures hanging from the ceiling and a detailed red carpet lining the floor. It felt like I was transported back into the 1800s, just without the gigantic dress and opera glasses.
Side note: when my friend and I went to the restroom during intermission, she stated she “felt underdressed for a bathroom.” That is probably explanation enough about how nice the inside of Westcott is.
The concert itself was very enjoyable to watch and listen to. Three different orchestras played a variety of pieces. The two pieces I remember most fondly were the last two. The second to last piece was composed by a student in the orchestra and now I’m waiting for it to drop on Spotify. The final piece had a talented piano soloist that left me speechless and wanting to pick up piano again. I would not be surprised if every movement in that piece popped up on the Spotify Blend I have with my friends!
You can read about the deep history of Ruby Diamond Auditorium here. This is definitely a Florida State University hidden gem and every student should go to a concert here at least once before they graduate. I’m sure glad I did!
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