Sound Space Design appointed by Minnesota Orchestra as acoustical consultant in Orchestra Hall renovation

(December 3, 2009) -- The Minnesota Orchestral Association (MOA) has appointed Sound Space Design to serve as acoustical consultant for the expansion and renovation of Orchestra Hall, Orchestra President and CEO Michael Henson announced today. The acoustical team, led by Robert Essert, will be responsible for ensuring that Orchestra Hall’s current fine acoustics are preserved throughout the renovation, for making onstage acoustical modifications and for advising on lobby acoustics.

Sound Space Design, founded by Robert Essert in 2002, has designed acoustics for performing arts venues across the world, including the newly-opened Winspear Opera House in Dallas, Toronto’s Koerner Hall and London’s Menuhin Hall. Robert Essert previously served as deputy chairman at Artec Consultants, where he co-designed the acoustics of the Culture and Congress Centre in Lucerne, Switzerland and collaborated on the acoustical renovation of Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto. Sound Space Design is based in London.

Orchestra Hall is well-known for its excellent symphonic acoustics, which were originally designed by Cyril Harris. “Bob Essert and Sound Space Design will be involved in every decision that we make within our auditorium over the course of the renovation to assure that our high-quality acoustics are maintained,” said Michael Henson. “This is an extremely experienced company that has been involved in many renovations, and we are very pleased to have them on our team.” Sound Space Design will work with KPMB Architects to select materials and finishes in the auditorium, as well as lobby spaces, that support the acoustics.

Sound Space Design will also implement some onstage acoustical alterations in order to make it easier for musicians to hear each other onstage. “We are blessed to have very good acoustics for our audiences in Orchestra Hall,” said Music Director Osmo Vänskä. “But it is important that we make some improvements onstage to help the musicians hear each other across the stage. This needs to be done very delicately and we have great confidence in Bob Essert and his team.”

Said Robert Essert, “My colleagues and I at Sound Space Design are honored to burnish the much-loved acoustics of this wonderful hall and especially to improve the communication between musicians onstage. When the performers hear each other well, they are able to play with cohesion and to emote with unity of purpose—literally to breathe together. We look forward to working with this stellar design and construction team on a project of such importance for the artistic life of the Twin Cities and the international standing of the Minnesota Orchestra.”

Additionally, Sound Space Design will collaborate with Engineering Harmonics to install a state-of-the-art performance sound system to enhance amplified performances at Orchestra Hall, typically those offered for the Orchestra’s pops concerts and presentations.

In June, the Minnesota Orchestra announced the architectural firm Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg (KPMB) had been appointed to design a $40 million expansion and renovation of Orchestra Hall, with a focus on dramatic reinvention of its public lobby spaces, a welcoming exterior to better connect the Hall to the city outside, a refreshed auditorium and updated backstage facilities. Other recent appointments to the project team include Mortenson Construction as general contractor; Meyer, Borgman and Johnson as structural engineering consultants; and Dunham Associates as mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering consultants. Nelson Tietz & Hoye serves as project manager.

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