LOYOLA MARYMOUNT RECITAL HALL GIVEN A FINE-TUNING

“Well, it is a financial hardship--there’s no way we can make money in a hall seating only 212 people. But it’s also an artistic blessing,” says Loyola Marymount University impresario Jay Quantrill.

The bearded arts administrator is talking about Murphy Recital Hall, the newest component of the Fritz B. Burns Fine Arts Center, located near the center of the ocean-facing Westchester campus of the university. In addition to housing concerts by touring artists, the hall, which has its formal opening Friday, will also be the home of the LMU Choruses and the LMU Orchestra.

Quantrill acknowledges that the hall was tried out earlier in the season, when choreographer Agnes de Mille spoke there in October, and when pianist Grant Johannesen gave a recital in the room Nov. 2.

“After that, we have fine-tuned the hall acoustically,” Quantrill says, “with acoustical drapery and with paneling.”

Jorge Bolet’s recital, Friday night at 8:30, is already sold out, but Quantrill advises music lovers that two more piano recitals will be given in the 4-month-old facility in the next month. LMU faculty member Linda Love plays in Murphy Hall on Feb. 22 and Boris Bloch appears there March 22. Both Love and Bloch will have their choice between two brand-new Steinway pianos that the university recently purchased.