High ceiling fans circulate warm, fresh air throughout the previous home of livestock and hay barrels.

Allerton Barn, in Monticello, originally was adorned with only one steel spiral staircase. Now, through the vision of Karl Kramer, the University’s director of music, and the hard work of builders and electricians David Davis, Tom Mann and Darin Kresin, the structure has been transformed into a concert hall with two fire code corner staircases and an elevator. Kramer compares the maroon seats on the second level to the quality of Carnegie Hall, costing an estimated $250 each, which contrasts with the surroundings of the old wood.

However, the facility still retains its barn-like exterior and other amenities, including exposed rafters on the ceiling and the original large doors where the hay entered.

“You can really imagine what it was used for years ago,” said Brenda Abbott, Allerton Retreat Center manager.

On Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29-Sept.1, the Allerton Music Barn Festival will feature seven concerts inside the barn.

The architectural design of the barn and wood structure enriches the sound quality of each musical performance.

“The barn acoustically is quite live with the wood ceiling,” Edward Rath, associate director of the Music School, said. “I was surprised at how well it sounds.”

University faculty musicians are the first to perform Friday at 8:30 p.m. with their show, “Beyond Cool”. The faculty uses unusual instrumentation to perform jazz inspired by classical music, which originated in Miles Davis’ and Gil Evans’ album “Birth of the Cool.”

Saturday morning features Bach Unaccompanied, three solo artists who play Bach’s most famous unaccompanied works, beginning at 10:30 a.m., followed by Eine Nacht in Wien, at 8:30 p.m.

The time gaps between concerts allow rehearsal time for the musicians and let the warm air escape the barn.

“The barn is not air conditioned. There are fans to move the air, but the morning concert is before the barn heats up, and the evening concert at 8:30 p.m. is after the barn cools down from sunset,” Kramer said.

On Aug. 31, at 10:30 a.m., the audience gets a special addition: the Rev. Roger Digges from Grace Lutheran Church will introduce each of the Bach Cantatas, which were a traditional part of German Lutheran services.

Kramer called it an “ecumenical homily.”

“It’s not church, but it’s a little more spiritual than just listening to a concert,” Kramer said.

The festival also will feature performances by the Pacifica Quartet, Argentinean tango performer Peter Soave, The Virtuoso Bandoneón, and the Klezmer band Veretski Pass.

Wine and beer will be served, along with fruit, cheese and salads, Abbott said. Unlike last year’s festival, food can be purchased on premises and isn’t included in the price of the concert ticket.

Between concert performances attendees may want to explore Monticello’s Railway Museum and Allerton Park. Allerton Park has 1,500 acres of land, between 14 and 17 miles of hiking trails and many worldly statues.

“The statuaries that you find here in the park were all pieces that Robert Allerton collected in his travels,” Abbott said.

Monticello continues to provide new opportunities for visitors. Karl Kramer keeps up with the expansion because he still has big plans for the Allerton Barn.

For example, there is a large, open shed in disrepair 25 yards from the barn, but there are plans to turn it into an art gallery.

“It is a really cool pavilion-type thing to set up art shows and craft fair type stuff. You know, eating underneath it and that is sort of the next phase of the project,” Kramer said.

Allerton Barn is still going through renovations, and David Davis, who helps with construction, looks forward to adding more stair accessibility to the second floor and renovating the two bathrooms that are placed on the lower level.

Shirley Starr, 76, who volunteered at Allerton Park in the 1950s and retired in Champaign-Urbana, still thinks the location is inconvenient when she could watch similar performances at the Krannert Center.

“For older people I think that parking would be a problem and the distance and amount of gas it takes; otherwise, it would be a lovely idea,” Starr said.

The current construction of the barn provides a unique atmosphere. “It’s a very welcoming atmosphere; people are very comfortable. Not that they are not comfortable in a concert hall. It’s just a different way to experience music,” Abbott said.