‘Welcome home, Hoagy.’

One of IU’s most famous alumni now has a permanent home on campus.

The Grand Foyer of the IU Auditorium was bursting at the seams Thursday evening for the dedication ceremony of the Hoagy Carmichael Landmark Sculpture.

President Michael McRobbie presided over the ceremony to pay fitting tribute to who he said is IU’s most revered alumnus.

“Today marks the culmination of a long journey,” McRobbie said. “The sculpture itself has extended Hoagy Carmichael’s influence that continues to this day. It represents Hoagy’s dedication to developing his music. May this sculpture act as a fitting tribute to his journey. Welcome home, Hoagy.”

The bronze sculpture, which will permanently reside outside the IU Auditorium on the northeast end of the building, shows famed jazz musician and songwriter Carmichael sitting at a piano in the midst of composing a piece of music. Although he died in 1981, the sculpture will be a permanent fixture that will help his legacy live on forever.

Because Carmichael grew up in Bloomington and on this campus, it is only fitting to have the sculpture rest here, said Provost and Executive Vice President Karen Hanson.

“Hoagy was the voice of America’s heartland,” Hanson said. “He provided an uplifting soundtrack for an entire generation. The statue will have a home surrounded by performing arts.”

Referencing one of Carmichael's most renowned pieces of music, Hanson introduced the man who put his “heart and soul” into the work of art, sculptor Michael McAuley.

After guests rose to their feet to honor the artist, McAuley expressed his deepest gratitude to the people who supported him throughout the process of funding and sculpting the piece.

“It's such a relief to be here,” McAuley said. “This day is the celebration of Hoagy Carmichael, and it has been a long time coming.”

McAuley described the statue as a depiction of a man in the process of constructing his next musical composition.

President McRobbie also spoke of Carmichael's affiliation with the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Members of the Beta Theta chapter stood proudly in the back of the room and listened to the words that described the legend. Beta Theta chapter President Austin Hall said he is proud to call Carmichael a Kappa Sigma brother.

“It's a great honor to be associated with an individual of such talent and character,” Hall said. “We hope this monument will further recognize his accomplishments and allow that legacy to live on at IU.”

After the speeches were given, it was only fitting to feature one of Carmichael's songs. Jacobs School of Music vocalist Christine Cornell and pianist Justin Sorrell performed “Stardust.”

Guests listened and smiled as Carmichael's song echoed through the IU Auditorium.

“He will now be perpetually at work in an outdoor campus studio,” McAuley said.