Maybeck Recital Hall

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Maybeck Recital Hall, also known as the Alma Kennedy Recital Hall, is located inside the Kennedy-Nixon House in Berkeley, California. It was built in 1914 by Bernard Maybeck. The hall seats 50 people and was designed upon commission for the Nixon family, local arts patrons who wanted a live-in studio for their daughter Milda's piano teacher, Mrs. Alma Kennedy. The room is lined with redwood to produce an acoustic quality particularly favorable to the tone of a grand piano.

In 1932, the hall was destroyed by a local fire. It was rebuilt quickly by Maybeck.

In 1987, the house was purchased by jazz pianist Dick Whittington, who opened the hall for public recitals.

Between 1989 and 1995, Concord Records produced 42 solo piano recitals in Maybeck Recital Hall. Each recital featured a different jazz pianist, and all 42 recordings were released on CD. Concord also recorded 10 jazz duets at Maybeck during the same time period, which were also released as a series of CDs sold by Concord.

In 1996, the house was purchased by Gregory Moore. The recital hall is no longer open for public concerts, although it is used occasionally for private concerts which are attended by invitation only.