UC Davis Moves Ahead With State-of-the-Art Music Hall

The Ann E. Pitzer Center took shape rapidly in early 2015 with the 45-foot pre-cast concrete walls hoisted into place. The center will be completed in mid-2016, with a grand opening ceremony planned for fall 2016.

While the building will include a state-of-the-art, 400-seat recital hall, it will also provide ample space for teaching and learning. The building adds six practice rooms and four teaching studios.

With few practice rooms and teaching studios in the Music Building, students and faculty have had to use space in other buildings, converted offices and even the corridors for rehearsals. Occasionally, a brass player can be found practicing under the covered walkway outside.

The recital hall will also serve as a classroom that will accommodate large survey courses for music and many other academic areas.

“The building and environs will also address several other needs: environmentally controlled storage for valuable musical instruments, more practice rooms, and inviting indoor and outdoor spaces that are conducive to informal social interactions among students and faculty,” noted Henry Spiller, music department chair.

The center, on Hutchison Drive between the Music Building and the TB 9 art studio building, is named for the late Ann E. Pitzer, who graduated from UC Davis in 1958 with a degree in home economics. Her estate donated $5 million toward the building last fall. The lobby is named for Grace and Grant Noda, who donated $1.5 million in the early planning stages.

A number of options are available for those who wish to support the hall and music department. Naming opportunities are available for the courtyard, green room, large and small practice rooms and many other areas. Donors can also name a suite of four seats, individual seats or add names to a wall of supporters.