Winspear Centre Completion Project | 29.87m | 4s | Winspear Centre | Andrew Bromberg

What do you think of this project?


  • Total voters
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The Francis Winspear Centre for Music, more commonly known as the Winspear Centre, will receive $3,167,071 for the construction and outfitting of a new 550-seat Music Box concert hall. The Music Box will be located within the Tommy Banks Centre for Musical Creativity, a new annex of the Winspear Centre. Funding will support the purchase and installation of specialized equipment, including sound treatment baffling and banners; sound, projection, communication and lighting equipment; and the installation of a flexible, powered seating system.
 
Would be nice but knowing the industry here in Edmonton and typical expenditures at/for the Winspear I'm not going to hold my breath on something like that. Hopefully I'm wrong.
 
Is there a quick answer to what the point of this building is gonna be? I’m just curious because, is there not theatres of this same size directly across the street in The Citadel? Would it not have been a better use of existing infrastructure to just upgrade the theatres and have more cooperation between The Citadel and the winspear? I’m not against this building or anything like that, I just am curious Why it’s being built.
 
Is there a quick answer to what the point of this building is gonna be? I’m just curious because, is there not theatres of this same size directly across the street in The Citadel? Would it not have been a better use of existing infrastructure to just upgrade the theatres and have more cooperation between The Citadel and the winspear? I’m not against this building or anything like that, I just am curious Why it’s being built.
I recently spoke with someone who works for the Winspear (before the federal funding was announced). He said that the aim of the Music Box is to increase public interactions with the Winspear. Right now the building is really only used to host the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. And as he put it, not many younger people enjoy orchestrated music compared to other genres.

So as the base of season ticket holders gets older, the Winspear becomes less viable and competitive. This is their attempt to draw more people in there on a consistent basis, and diversify their potential market reach, so that they aren't relying on this one base of ticket holders alone. That way, it can be a destination for local music and entertainment more broadly and not just for those who enjoy orchestrated music in particular.

As for why the Winspear itself is special: I forget the exact term, but it has the highest possible rating for acoustic performance. The term world class is often mocked on this site (and rightfully so), but it truly is world class in terms of orchestra venues.
 
As for why the Winspear itself is special: I forget the exact term, but it has the highest possible rating for acoustic performance. The term world class is often mocked on this site (and rightfully so), but it truly is world class in terms of orchestra venues.
Yes, but only when a sound engineer that is familiar with the Winspear is used for performances there. Many touring acts use their own sound guy, and if things are turned too loud it completely ruins the "world-class" rating for that particular performance.

I saw Madeleine Peyroux there during the 2006 jazz festival and I almost fell out of my chair. The acoustics were soo darn good. Obviously it was the resident sound guy. The songs she performed from her album of the time sounded as good or better than the audiophile studio recordings(!). I'd seen Eartha Kitt just a few weeks prior (her appearance was the finale for the ESO season) and she must've had her own sound guy because the vocals and drummer were waay too loud...it ruined the delicate nuances that are otherwise heard in an ESO performance.

Point is, yes, when the acoustics of the hall are used properly, the Winspear is as good as you can get, in just about any city in the world.
 
Yes, but only when a sound engineer that is familiar with the Winspear is used for performances there. Many touring acts use their own sound guy, and if things are turned too loud it completely ruins the "world-class" rating for that particular performance.

I saw Madeleine Peyroux there during the 2006 jazz festival and I almost fell out of my chair. The acoustics were soo darn good. Obviously it was the resident sound guy. The songs she performed from her album of the time sounded as good or better than the audiophile studio recordings(!). I'd seen Eartha Kitt just a few weeks prior (her appearance was the finale for the ESO season) and she must've had her own sound guy because the vocals and drummer were waay too loud...it ruined the delicate nuances that are otherwise heard in an ESO performance.

Point is, yes, when the acoustics of the hall are used properly, the Winspear is as good as you can get, in just about any city in the world.

The most informative post I have read in many months.
 
Yes, but only when a sound engineer that is familiar with the Winspear is used for performances there. Many touring acts use their own sound guy, and if things are turned too loud it completely ruins the "world-class" rating for that particular performance.

I saw Madeleine Peyroux there during the 2006 jazz festival and I almost fell out of my chair. The acoustics were soo darn good. Obviously it was the resident sound guy. The songs she performed from her album of the time sounded as good or better than the audiophile studio recordings(!). I'd seen Eartha Kitt just a few weeks prior (her appearance was the finale for the ESO season) and she must've had her own sound guy because the vocals and drummer were waay too loud...it ruined the delicate nuances that are otherwise heard in an ESO performance.

Point is, yes, when the acoustics of the hall are used properly, the Winspear is as good as you can get, in just about any city in the world.
Many many years ago I saw someone turn of all the sound equipment and just sing. I think it was Hawksley Workman, but not 100% on that. Passenger this November (hopefully) show is Vax only or test so hopefully it goes ahead and hopefully it’s in house sound engineer :)
 
Been to quite a few symphonies and have always loved the sound there. My mother knew one of the past conductors and he showed her the seats he thought were the best. (2nd level 2 rows back from the front). I usually sit to one side. Since I have had significant hearing loss in one ear this last year I was worried I would loose the music. But with the new high tech aids I can tune it for the best sound. So we are heading back to the Winspear.

The best shows I have seen there though beside the ESO, one was Corb Lund and his tribute to the last waltz. the other was the last concert I saw before Covid was the Mavericks. and the sound that night was great.
 
It looks like there is a new exterior rendering on Winspear's website.
20210818_WP_Brochure_V2.jpg
 

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