Pianos in motion Pianos in motion (December 26, 2003)

Music and arts school lugs instruments, and a lot more, to its permanent new home

By Candice Shih

After 15 years at the Huff School campus and the last year on View Street, the Community School of Music and Arts has finally found its way home.

The new CSMA building, under construction since September 2002, is scheduled to open to students on Jan. 5, completing a process that has been underway most of the month.

The school's 20 pianos were among the last to move in December and made their way down curvy San Antonio Circle in two trucks on multiple trips Monday.

"So far, we haven't lost any pedals. It's been going pretty smoothly, generally," said communications director Evy Schiffman, during the move. "We've done it before, but never on this scale."

For the school's leaders, it's a vision come true. A 25,000-square-foot building that Schiffman hopes will win architectural awards, the new CSMA is designed to hold 25 percent more students than it has typically served.

"We've had consistent demand," said Schiffman. "That's the whole reason we're able to do the building."

Unlike the school's previous temporary spaces, the new building is tailored especially for arts education and for a clientele that is mostly children. There are wide walls for hanging artwork and a central courtyard for sculpture display and informal gatherings.

Particularly appropriate for the building is a special nook in the front where kids can see their parents arriving to pick them up after classes and rehearsals.

Among other new amenities is a 204-seat concert hall. The theater, which was given special acoustic characteristics, will be the site of the Concerts 4 Kids series, faculty performances, talented youth series, and "Classes without Quizzes," lectures on visual arts and pop culture.

The space will also be used by Stanford Lively Arts and made available as a rental.

For more intimate performances, a 75-seat rehearsal and performance hall has been constructed.

The 35-year-old nonprofit is also being ushered into the latest age of technology with a digital arts studio and soundproofing for the music studios. And the acoustically enforced walls will be strong enough to block the noise when the efficiency studios begin construction next-door, said Schiffman.

While the finishing touches get put on the tall, concrete building, its leaders are hard at work trying to secure the final $590,000 needed to finish its $11.5 million capital campaign. The remaining balance is due on Jan. 1 in order for the school to receive an additional $750,000 challenge grant from The Kresge Foundation.
@email:E-mail Candice Shih at cshih@mv-voice.com

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