CMC offers beautiful and well-equipped spaces to host community gatherings, music events, and rehearsals.
Community Music Center’s Mission District Branch Concert Hall, brand-new Recital Hall, and studio spaces are available for rent to the public for music-related concerts, events, and recordings!
Concert Hall & Recital Hall Event Rentals
Concert Hall
Acoustically excellent, the Concert Hall houses a Yamaha CFX Concert Collection Grand Piano on stage and a Baldwin six-foot grand piano on the floor. This makes the hall perfect for recordings and music centered events. The hall features a hardwood dance floor and a proscenium stage, both refurbished in 2021. New interior paint and new curtains were added in January of 2024. The sound booth is built for recording sessions and is located on the balcony. In addition to the sound booth, the balcony provides a fabulous view and more space for attendees. A Hall Manager will be on-site to open and close the hall, handle the hall and stage setup, and help with any of your needs during the event. The hall is also equipped with professional quality lighting. Use of the sound system is available upon request. The Concert Hall is wheelchair accessible and open onto the courtyard of our two renovated Victorian homes dating back to the 1880s.
Specifications
Stage: 32′ x 14′ (448 square feet)
Proscenium Opening: 30′ wide; 11′ tall
Auditorium: 32′ x 34′ (1088 square feet)
Balcony: 260 square feet
Seating Capacity: 130 (theater seating)
Stage Lighting (Basic concert lighting only): Professional lighting system with wireless fader controls and 15 six-inch fresnels with standard color gels
Sound System: 12 channel board with Yamaha PA speakers and digital recording capability
Conveniences
There are two restrooms adjacent to the Concert Hall stage in the 544 Capp Street building and one restroom adjacent to the courtyard. There are also two ADA accessible exterior restrooms around the hall’s south east corner connected to the Cottage Studio which are optimally located for event attendees. The 544 Capp Street building also houses a shared lounge space which includes a sink, refrigerator/freezer, and microwave that renters may use. There are six 3′ x 6′ conference tables, each seating six to eight.
Concessions and Receptions
Serving food or beverages may be permitted, but only with the express written consent of Community Music Center. Smoking is not permitted in the hall, or anywhere on CMC property.
Recital Hall
Completely new construction from the foundation up, the Recital Hall is part of our newly renovated 552 Capp Street building that opened in January of 2024! The intimate performance hall is acoustically excellent with wood floors, exceptional sound baffling, and motorized drapes. A six-foot Bechstein grand piano is set beneath spotlights that have easily accessible dimming control. A Hall Manager will be on-site to open and close the hall, handle the hall and stage setup, and help with any of your needs during the event. The Recital Hall is wheelchair accessible and open onto the courtyard of our two renovated Victorian homes dating back to the 1880s.
Specifications
Floor: 530 square feet
Seating Capacity: 45 (theater seating)
Lighting: Dimming spotlights and ceiling lights
Conveniences
There are two ADA accessible restrooms on the third floor of the 552 building, and two more ADA accessible restrooms behind the hall and connected to the Cottage Studio which are optimally located for event attendees. There are six 3′ x 6′ conference tables, each seating six to eight.
Concessions and Receptions
Serving food or beverages may be permitted, but only with the express written consent of Community Music Center. Smoking is not permitted in the hall, or anywhere on CMC property.
To rent CMC’s Concert or Recital Halls, review our policies and fill out our Rental Form (fillable PDF) and return to rentals@sfcmc.org.
For questions, email rentals@sfcmc.org.
Practice Studio & Rehearsal Space Rentals
Rehearsal Space
The Mission District Branch offers options to rent rooms on an hourly basis with great pianos and light sound reinforcement.
How to Use Practice/Rehearsal Space at CMC:
- Please reserve your desired studio space through the platform below at least 24 hours in advance.
- If your desired time is less than 24 hours, we ask that you speak with a CMC receptionist first to confirm availability, as this is subject to change during the day.
- Once you have booked your desired rehearsal space, check in at the Reception Desks to access the space and any additional materials you’ve added to your reservation, and check out when you have finished.
- Please return gear and materials to their original places and be respectful of the next musicians in the space.
Happy music-making!
Reserve a Rehearsal Space:
Practice Studio Rental FAQ & Policies
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I practice for free if I’m a student?
A:Currently registered CMC students will receive 10 free one-hour rentals per Quarter at the beginning of each Quarter, which can be used as desired throughout the quarter. This information will be shared by a CMC staff member. Once you have used your free quarterly rentals, you will need to pay for rehearsal rentals.
Q: If I’m a student, can I arrive early to warm up for my class or lesson?
A: Yes! You can reserve your time to warm up using the scheduling platform on CMC’s website. We highly recommend booking this time at least 24 hours in advance. However, if you arrive 15 minutes early for your class or lesson without a reservation, a receptionist will reserve a studio (if available) and use one of your 10 free one-hour quarterly rentals.
Q: Are microphones available to rent to use in the studios?
A: Yes! There is an option to reserve microphones online during the payment process.
Q: Can I pay with cash?
A: Unfortunately, we do not accept cash. Please use your credit card to pay through the website.
Q: Do you allow walk-ins for practice space rentals?:
A: Yes! If you have not booked a studio space 24 hours in advance, you may come to CMC and book a rehearsal space with the help of our receptionist team as space is available.
Q: If I arrive late for my rental time, can I stay for a full hour?
A: Unfortunately no. No matter what time you arrive, the rental time will expire at the end of the hour in which it was scheduled.
Q: Can I book for a time increment other than one hour?
A: Unfortunately no. In order to best utilize our space, one-hour increments are all we can offer the community at this time. Feel free to use as much or as little of your time slot as you need.
Q: What if I need to cancel or reschedule my reservation?
A: Please be sure to cancel or reschedule through the rental platform 24 hours in advance. Cancellations made less that 24-hours in advance cannot be accepted. For questions or refund requests, please contact rentals@sfcmc.org.
Q: If I don’t use all my free hour rentals in a Quarter, can I use them in the next Quarter?
A: No, unused rentals will not roll over from Quarter-to-Quarter.
Policies
Please be sure to carefully read and accept the Studio Rental Policies when making your reservation:
- Renters must provide a valid Driver’s License, Identification, or credit card in exchange for a rehearsal space key and/or equipment, to be returned when checking out.
- Renters are responsible for costs to repair facilities or equipment damaged during their reserved time, and renters must report broken gear to a receptionist immediately upon discovery.
- Volume must be kept under 80db, or low enough to not disturb other classes or renters.
- No food or drinks other than water are permitted in the rental spaces.
- Renters must be cleared out of their room when their rental time has expired. All rented items must be returned to the receptionist desk when the rental time has expired.
- Rental spaces are intended for practice a rehearsal and are not to be used for non-CMC music instruction.
Community Music Center’s rental policies are subject to change.