Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Ed Yeates ReportingUsing one of the world's most unique designs, USU is about to open a new, intimate concert hall that moves and breathes to fit the performer.
It might be said the world's finest musicians would pay their own way to come to this hall to perform, that's how acoustically perfect it is! It's been built at Utah State University's campus mostly for local talent, students of music and theatre, their teachers, and other artists who want audiences to hear exactly what they hear.
Vinicius Gorgati, Architect, Sasaki Associates: "A facility for 400 people offers a level of intimacy among the audience, and between the audience and the musician that is quite cherished by performers."
From the ground up, the building is designed to move and adjust itself to protect the integrity of sound. A piano, chamber music, a jazz ensemble, perhaps it's only a voice speaking or singing -- doesn't matter, this hall changes its configuration. Baffles can be added manually, sound curtains move horizontally and vertically.
Eventually, the acoustical banners, which run all the way from the bottom to the top of the building, will be motorized, literally fine tuning this concert hall to suit the performer. The panels unfold and drop around the hall, precisely soaking up vacant sounds from empty seats or from stage space not needed. Even equipment in the basement is controlled.
Matt Radke, Jacobsen Construction: "The equipment is set on spring isolators and all the connections to the equipment have been isolated."
Nothing rattles, nothing interferes. Upstairs, senior Luke Hancock and his audience hear only pure music, and in the end, he knows his performance is complete.
Tonight, the hall gets its final fine-tuning. Tomorrow will be an open house for the public and concerts begin this weekend.
