Richard Carpenter returns to The Beach, reminisces about where it all  started

Richard Carpenter Returns to “The Beach”: A Homecoming Filled With Memory, Music, and Meaning

For Richard Carpenter, returning to Cal State Long Beach was more than just a visit—it was a journey back to where it all began. Known globally as one-half of the Grammy-winning duo The Carpenters, Richard once walked the halls of this campus in the 1960s as a young music student, his dreams still forming, his sister Karen by his side.

Now, decades later, he has come full circle—back to “The Beach”—to celebrate a milestone close to his heart: the 30th anniversary of the Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center, a 1,054-seat venue bearing the siblings’ names and legacy.


A Theater Built on Memory and Mission

Richard hadn’t been back to the theater in years. But on this occasion, he returned not only to visit—but to perform, alongside Renée Elise Goldsberry, the Grammy and Tony Award-winning Broadway star. The event wasn’t just celebratory—it was a fundraiser for the center’s flagship arts education program, Arts for Life, which brings the power of performance to students and the local community.

“Karen and I both, and friends and associates, contributed to get it going,” Richard shared. “It’s a little scary that it’s been 30 years—it doesn’t seem like it.”

He remembered when the theater’s footprint was nothing more than a gym and a swimming pool. “It’s something to see how it’s grown and changed over the years,” he added, visibly proud.


Roots in Music and Mentorship

Richard’s fondest memories of Cal State Long Beach don’t just come from classrooms—they come from mentors. He fondly recalled Frank Pooler, the university choir director, who once handed him a poem written in the 1940s titled “Merry Christmas, Darling.”

“He didn’t like his melody, so he thought I could do a better job. I took the lyrics into a practice room… eventually, Karen and I recorded it,” Richard said. “And it has done very well over the years—it still charts every Christmas.”

He also spoke of Robert Reynolds, his trumpet instructor and tour conductor, whose discipline and passion for music left a lasting impression. Richard remembers playing piano on a California tour with Reynolds’ concert band—an early taste of the road and responsibility that would soon define his career.


A Legacy in Brick and Melody

When asked why he continues to support the Carpenter Center and the university, Richard answered simply: “They needed a bigger theater.” That seed of necessity turned into a philanthropic vision when then-President Curtis McCray approached him about helping fund the new space.

Though Karen had already passed, Richard agreed to carry their shared vision forward. The Carpenter Center officially opened its doors in 1994, a living tribute to their contributions and a launchpad for generations of performers to come.

“The arts need constant support,” Richard emphasized. “They are somewhere down the ladder when it comes to interest in donating at all.”


Memories Encased in Glass

In the Carpenter Center lobby stands a humble but powerful display: photographs, a drum set, Karen’s piano—frozen fragments of a story that once played out on world stages.

“It means a lot,” Richard reflected. “It’s insane that so much time has gone by… and it’s been so long that Karen has not been with us.”

And yet, she is still everywhere—in the music, in the stories, in the center that bears her name.

“Karen had a timeless voice,” Richard said. “She would sing and play the drums at the same time. She was a real gift.”


Closing the Circle

Richard Carpenter’s return wasn’t just a commemorative event—it was a full-circle moment. From the practice rooms of Cal State Long Beach to the bright lights of international stardom, and back again, he stood not as a legend, but as a man who remembers where it all started.

In honoring the past, he inspired the future—just as he and Karen always intended.

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