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| Petersen Concert Hall | |
|---|---|
| Name | Petersen Concert Hall |
| Location | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Type | Concert hall |
| Owner | University of California, Los Angeles |
| Operator | UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music |
| Capacity | 1,992 |
| Opened | 2007 |
| Architect | Billens & Wilson Architects |
Petersen Concert Hall is a major performing arts venue on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles that serves as a home for orchestral, choral, chamber, jazz, and theatrical presentations. Located within the Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Music complex on the UCLA campus, it opened in 2007 and has hosted a wide range of artists, ensembles, and events associated with regional, national, and international institutions. The hall supports academic programs and community engagement through collaborations with conservatories, cultural organizations, and civic partners.
The hall was conceived during planning initiatives at the University of California system and development efforts involving the UCLA Chancellor's office, allied with fundraising campaigns led by trustees such as the UCLA Foundation and donors in the Los Angeles cultural sector. Groundbreaking followed approvals from the Los Angeles City Council and coordination with the California Cultural and Historical Endowment and regional arts agencies. Its inaugural season featured artists connected to institutions including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA. Over time the venue has hosted touring productions arranged by presenters like Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center affiliates, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
The building's master plan was developed by firms with portfolios including work for the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Los Angeles Opera; lead architects included principals from firms associated with projects at the Getty Center and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Exterior materials reference regional precedents found at the Hammer Museum and the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, while landscape architects coordinated with campus planners who had worked on the Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall precinct and the UCLA Luskin Conference Center. Interior design integrates influences from European houses such as the Vienna Musikverein and the Royal Albert Hall as interpreted by consultants who have collaborated with the Metropolitan Opera and the San Francisco Symphony.
The hall seats approximately 1,992 patrons and incorporates acoustical engineering by consultants with credits including the Boston Symphony Orchestra's venue planning and the Stratford Festival theatre projects. Stage dimensions and flytower provisions accommodate symphonic forces comparable to programming at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and chorus sizes used by the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Backstage facilities parallel standards found at the Royal Opera House and the Teatro alla Scala, and rehearsal spaces connect to academic studios used by faculty from the Herb Alpert School of Music, visiting artists from the Juilliard School, and ensembles affiliated with the Colburn School and the Curtis Institute of Music. Technical systems echo designs employed at the Royal Festival Hall and the Berlin Philharmonie to support amplified and unamplified repertoire.
Resident groups include ensembles affiliated with the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, the UCLA Philharmonia, the UCLA Chamber Singers, and the university's jazz program, while partnerships extend to organizations like the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Pacific Symphony, and the Los Angeles Opera education initiatives. Programming has featured collaborations with the Getty Research Institute for thematic series, with the Huntington Library for interdisciplinary events, and with community presenters such as the LA County Arts Commission and the California Arts Council. Festival-style residencies have drawn artists associated with the Tanglewood Music Center, the Aspen Music Festival and School, and the Oberlin Conservatory.
Noteworthy appearances have included conductors and soloists who perform regularly with the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra, as well as chamber artists tied to the Guarneri Quartet, the Juilliard String Quartet, and the Takács Quartet. The hall has hosted lecture-recitals connected to scholars from the Watson Institute, visiting artists from the Royal College of Music, and crossover events featuring collaborations with popular acts booked through promoters like Live Nation and AEG Presents. It has also served as a venue for award ceremonies and film scoring sessions with credits linked to the Academy Awards, the Grammy Awards, and the American Film Institute.
Educational programming partners include the Los Angeles Unified School District, the California State University system, and conservatories such as the Manhattan School of Music and the New England Conservatory. Community outreach initiatives have been developed with the LA Phil’s YOLA program, the Music Center education department, and nonprofit partners like Young Audiences Arts for Learning and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra's music education program. Residency projects have engaged faculty from the Herb Alpert School of Music and visiting artists from the Royal Academy of Music and the Conservatoire de Paris to present masterclasses, workshops, and collaborative ensembles.
Since opening, the facility has undergone upgrades to technical systems in consultation with firms experienced on projects for the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Sydney Opera House, and accessibility improvements aligned with standards advocated by the Americans with Disabilities Act compliance offices and the California State Historic Preservation Office. Future expansion planning has been discussed with campus planners who have worked on projects for the UCLA Health complex and with donors associated with the Petersen Automotive Museum philanthropic networks, aiming to enhance rehearsal, recording, and community spaces in coordination with regional cultural entities such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Getty Foundation.
Category:Concert halls in California Category:University of California, Los Angeles buildings and structures