{"id":1402,"date":"2010-06-21T10:24:01","date_gmt":"2010-06-21T09:24:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/music-matters\/?p=1402"},"modified":"2010-06-21T10:24:01","modified_gmt":"2010-06-21T09:24:01","slug":"the-new-building-are-you-listening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/music-matters\/2010\/06\/21\/the-new-building-are-you-listening\/","title":{"rendered":"The new building: are you listening ?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last Friday,\u00a0we heard the interior of the proposed Colyer-Fergusson centre for Music Performance.<\/p>\n

\"At<\/a>
Immersed in the sound... listening at Arup Acoustics<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Not literally, alas: but virtually. Rising with the lark (actually, before<\/em> the lark: I had to shoo him out of bed), and then up to London to meet with project members from the University and representatives of Tim Ronalds Architects<\/a> and\u00a0Carr and Angier Theatre Consultants<\/a>\u00a0at the London offices of Arup Acoustics<\/a>, where acousticians were modelling the sonic interior of the building.<\/p>\n

Sitting in the centre of a small sound-booth, we were presented with various ensembles \u2013 orchestra, choir, string quartet, brass ensemble, solo singer and continuo \u2013 recorded anechoically, and then heard their performances realised\u00a0in a virtual sonic model of the new building\u2019s interior.<\/p>\n

The great strength of the proposed building is that it is a flexible performance space. It will be able to change in order to accommodate a diverse range of performing ensembles, from full symphony orchestra and chorus to chamber choirs, big bands, string and brass ensembles., We explored the various permutations of the variable acoustics \u2013 fully reverberant, then with varying degrees of the acoustic drapes being set to render the acoustic gradually less reverberant – with different ensemble set-ups, and\u00a0assessed the differening impacts of the acoustic settings on each.<\/p>\n

Potentially, the sonic space created by the hall, and the varying acoustic properties offered by the variable acoustics, are fantastic, and afford a\u00a0wide array\u00a0of opportunities for ensemble music-making, ranging from the large scale to the intimate, each with a suitable (almost bespoke)\u00a0acoustic environment.\u00a0The nature of the reverberation within the hall will be able to be altered to suit the different types\u00a0of\u00a0rehearsing and performing, tailored to meet the demands of the\u00a0varying ensembles using the space.<\/p>\n

It is unquestionably a fantastic space for music-making, and we are highly excited. We\u2019ll keep you posted as further developments unfold: keep your ear to the ground.<\/p>\n