The funding impetus for the £5 million project came with the death of Menuhin, the school's founder and mentor, in 1999. The new venue was finally completed and opened in January. Lead Architect Mark Foley of Burrell Foley Fischer worked closely with the School's acoustician Bob Essert of Sound Space Design and theatre consultants Anne Minors Performance Consultants.
The Menuhin Hall is a chamber music venue and a daily performance and rehearsal space for school use. The students are primarily string and piano players, however they also participate in school choirs, and student rock groups are starting up. Additionally, the Hall is available to hire for other music events and recording sessions.
Sound Space Design specified the drapes, and Anne Minors Performance Consultants prepared the specifications and drawings. The acoustic requirement was for the drapes to reduce the reverberation and loudness over the widest possible frequency ranges.
Heavier drapes provide better low frequency sound absorption, and Essert had recommended two layers with a total weight of 1500g/sqm. The room's finishes of natural and painted timber are designed to optimise the sound for strings, but the idea was also to ensure the room could accommodate other types of musical instruments and amplified sound.
J & C Joel's sales manager, Suzanne Wynne comments, "It was a privilege to be asked onboard such a prestigious project, and be involved in an environment that encourages gifted children to excel and become first rate musicians."
Headmaster Nicolas Chisholm adds, "The drapes are a fundamental element of the Hall's acoustics - and they certainly do their job well. The system gives us infinite variety by having them fully or partially drawn. In addition to their acoustic properties, the drapes are also very aesthetically pleasing. They look sumptuous and glowing when drawn and add to the intimate feel of the space."
(Jim Evans)
