The official grand opening of the Bakersfield College Simonsen Performing Arts Center took place April 25 with a musical celebration.

For over 60 years, the building has been a beacon for art and culture in our community, and it has hosted several events already this school year. So this event was held to celebrate the modernization of the facility into the 21st century.

The evening opened with the Bakersfield College chamber singers, under the direction of Jennifer Garrett, with the “Star-Spangled Banner,” arranged by Darmon Meader.

The Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra and the Bakersfield College Choir joined in to celebrate the opening of the new facility, which is known as SPArC. Garrett conducted the choir and chamber singers, which will be going on their international tour to Rome, Florence and Venice this summer.

BC music professor, John Gerhold had his close friend, retired professor Ronald Kean, conduct his latest piece.

“There is nothing that brings me so much joy then to watch my friend conduct one of my compositions,” Gerhold said about Kean.

Kean said he loves the new building, and he would come back to perform any time. The composition that Kean conducted was “American Mass,” which took four months to compose.

To conclude the evening, Kean conducted his friend’s composition, “Joyful Noises.” As people were leaving, they were saying how much they enjoyed the event.