The New Look of Clausen Hall
On May 2, 2015, the newly renovated Clausen Hall made its long anticipated debut at a grand opening featuring speeches, donor acknowledgements, a new film on the history of the music department and student performances that wowed the audience in the acoustically superior 190-seat recital hall.
Key features of the $13 million modernization project include a new 150-seat David Alpert Lecture Hall, expanded 190-seat Clausen Recital Hall, two electronic music labs, two keyboard labs, 35 practice rooms, two new recording studios, improved acoustics in all rooms, climate-controlled instrument storage rooms, and a new music library and listening lab. In addition to the renovations, LACC music students now have access to state-of-the-art electronic music labs, containing 70 iMac computers with industry-standard music recording hardware and software, and two keyboard labs housing 70 electronic keyboards.
An ambitious fundraising campaign resulted in more than $150,000 in donations from alumni, emeriti, faculty, and friends, allowing the department to purchase a new Steinway-D concert grand piano. Additionally, Richard Carpenter of Carpenters fame donated one of his Steinways, also a concert D. Both pianos are now housed in the magnificent wood-paneled recital hall.
Scholarships
LACC alumni have been instrumental in providing financial support to talented music students. Alumnus David Alpert began providing scholarships for gifted music students more than two decades ago. In 2013, his partnership with LACC led to an unprecedented donation of $300,000 by the Herb Alpert Foundation to support LACC’s Music Academy. Students are also sustained by legendary Academy Award recipient Jerry Goldsmith’s scholarship fund. Jerry was also an alumnus of LACC, and in 2007, his wife, Carol, created this scholarship in his name.
Supporting Music Students
LACC Foundation seeks to provide additional resources or scholarships to our able and deserving music students and needs the support of our donors to do so. Please consider making a gift to support these exceptional students, or contact Alumni Director Leigh Stenberg, at stenbel@lacitycollege.edu or 323-953-4011 if you are interested in creating a scholarship.
