For Immediate Release
Monday, September 23, 2024
Contact: Meredith Amado, Executive Director, Kneisel Hall, 207.374.2811
Kneisel Hall Selected for Maine Preservation’s 2024 Most Endangered Historic Places
Blue Hill, Maine — Kneisel Hall has been selected for Maine Preservation’s 2024 list of Maine’s Most Endangered Historic Places. The purpose of the list is to promote and preserve historic spaces and ensure their existence for future generations.
“The Kneisel Hall Concert Hall is a building filled with the history of legendary chamber music, musicians, and music lovers in the United States spanning over a hundred years. Its walls have enhanced and held the music-making of musicians, young and old, who have then gone beyond those walls to become a large part of the fabric of professional chamber music in the world. It has a remarkable acoustic and is built to house music that seamlessly reflects and merges with the natural beauty of the Maine countryside,” Laurie Smukler, Artistic Director, Kneisel Hall.
“For over 100 years, the heart of Kneisel Hall Chamber Music School and Festival has been its historic Concert Hall. As you enjoyed concerts in this beautiful space, you may have noticed signs of damage over the past few years. A century after it was built, there are structural issues that now must be addressed. The building does not have a proper foundation that extends beyond the frost line, the floors slant toward the outer walls, the fireplace does not have a secure foundation, and moisture seeps into the building,” Meredith Amado, Executive Director, Kneisel Hall.
“The Trustees of Kneisel Hall are committed to preserving and restoring the Concert Hall. Thoughtful and deliberate discussions and plans are underway so that appropriate steps are taken to protect this timeless treasure.”
Built in 1922, Franz Kneisel’s early 20th-century vision of a musician’s retreat now welcomes pre-professional music students and a world-class faculty. Its summer festival offers more than 50 public performances in the historic hall and around the community.
More information about the announcement can be found at mainepreservation.org/most-endangered.
Kneisel Hall is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to foster the art of chamber music through teaching and performance in an intimate environment steeped in tradition and artistic excellence.
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