Royal Festival Hall reopens – Kirkegaard Associates heads up Acoustics Refurbishment for England’s national treasure
June 4, 2007
British design architects, Allies and Morrison; theatre consultants, Carr and Angier; and contractor, Interior/Exterior (ISG); along with visionaries Michael Lynch, Chief Executive; and Jude Kelly, Artistic Director, of South Bank Centre, welcomed the public back to a transformed, world-class concert hall.
Read what music critics, musicians and the public are saying:
- Much improved, and much to prove – LaScena Musicale The Lebrecht Weekly – June 13, 2007
“In every part of the hall, the listener feels closer to the action…musicians feel better about themselves….”
Click here to read this article - Amid Alleluias, Festival Hall Resurrected – The New York Times – June 13, 2007
“Lawrence Kierkegaard [sic] was the acoustician, and the improvement is remarkable. The sound came through with bloom, detail and richness….”
Click here to read this article - Bravo! Festival Hall Reopens with Mass Orchestras, “Bolero’ – Bloomberg.com – June 12, 2007
“…and the acoustic has improved beyond recognition. New reverberations bounced from the back and sides of the 3,000-seat auditorium during the concert. It’s wonderful….”
Click here to read this article - Shout ‘Alleluia’ for Festival Hall – Telegraph.co.uk – June 12, 2007
“After decades of desiccated sound-quality, the hall now has a bloom, and gives the music room to breathe.”
Click here to read this article - Kirkegaard Triumphs on London’s South Bank – MusicalAmerica.com – June 12, 2007
“Not so much a change in the sound as a transformation. It is vibrant, alive, with extraordinary clarity from whistle-clean woodwinds…it is an astonishing improvement….”
Click here to read this article - Royal Festival Hall Reopens after 21st century refit – Scotsman, UK, June 8, 2007
“The sound is much clearer and richer than it used to be…” Vladimir Jurowski told reporters, “You could feel from the first note that the hall has changed.”
Click here to read this article - The five-star Festival Hall – Top marks as four orchestras test out wonderful acoustics – Evening Standard – June 12, 2007
Most important (for the classical music world) is the miraculous improvement of the acoustics…
Click here to read this article - Rattle gives Festival Hall refit thumbs up – The Guardian, May 30, 2007
“…in an attempt to cure its infamous acoustic, the response from early visitors has been overwhelmingly positive. In a video message, Sir Simon Rattle said after a trial recital: ‘It was a real pleasure to play here. Before the restoration, it was always an honour, but it wasn’t exactly a pleasure.’”
Click here to read this article
Kirkegaard Associates’ project team members include: Larry Kirkegaard, President and Principal Acoustician; Project Manager, Connie Walker (Architectural Integration); Senior Consultant, Tim Gulsrud (Room Acoustics; and Model testing and materials technology research); Senior Consultant, Richard Laidman (Audio and Video Systems Design); Consultant, Zackery Belanger (Model testing and materials technology research); and Senior Consultant, Terry Tyson (HVAC Noise and Vibration Control).
Kirkegaard Associates is one of the world’s leading acoustics design firms providing comprehensive consulting services for clients seeking the highest quality listening environments. The firm consists of 28 individuals offering experience in architectural acoustics, audio/video systems design; electronic media technology, and mechanical noise and vibration control. The company has earned a reputation for excellence in the design of more than 2,500 successful projects which include: theatres, concert halls, opera houses, educational institutions, worship spaces, recording and broadcast studios, and many other acoustically sensitive environments in North and South America, Europe, the Far East and Australia.