Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Encyclopedia
The Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, often referred to simply as the Meyerhoff, is a music venue
that opened September 16, 1982 at 1212 Cathedral Street in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland
, USA. The main auditorium has a seating capacity
of 2,443 people, and is home to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
. It is named for Joseph Meyerhoff
, a Ukrainian
-born Baltimore businessman, philanthropist, and arts patron who became president of the Baltimore Symphony in 1965, a position he held for 18 years.
style structure was designed by the architectural firms of Pietro Belluschi
, Inc. and Jung/Brannen Associates
and ground was broken November 10, 1978. Acoustical design was by Bolt, Beranek and Newman
and uses a series of convex curves to avoid flat surfaces or ninety-degree angles inside the hall.
The auditorium is oval, its cylindrical wall extends the entire height of the building with the roof sloping down over the stage area. The exterior surface of the cylinder is covered in brown brick and rises through the lobby to be clearly discernible on the exterior of the building. Backstage areas are housed in a concentric oval which projects from the rear of the building while the lobby and patron areas are housed under a sloping metal roof which extends from the building's front. The exterior lobby walls feature large expanses of glass to open the building to the plaza which surrounds it.
The auditorium ceiling ranges from a height of 44 ft (13.4 m) above the stage to 62 ft (18.9 m) at the rear wall. The walls of the stage are covered in a light-colored wood and feature box seats. Suspended above the stage originally were 52 precast concrete "clouds" which helped diffuse sound. These were removed in 2001 and replaced with an acoustical canopy. The five-year renovation program which began in 1997, also included a new stage lighting system, new stage risers and equipment lift, expanded storage and performer dressing rooms, increased patron washrooms and improved access for patrons with physical disabilities.
The stage is 65 ft (19.8 m) wide and 35 ft (10.7 m) deep. To accommodate a chorus, the rear wall moves to provide an additional 12 ft (3.7 m) of space.
In addition to the main auditorium, the facility includes the John Gidwitz Recital Hall, reception and meeting rooms and administrative offices.
The Meyerhoff is immediately adjacent to the Cultural Center Station on the Baltimore Light Rail
, and within walking distance of the State Center
Station on the Baltimore Metro Subway
.
and executive director Joseph Leavitt. The orchestra's home at the time was the Lyric Opera House
and frequent scheduling conflicts forced the musicians to rehearse in school gymnasiums and prepare for concerts in in dark and cramped backstage areas of the Opera House. Major funding for construction came from a donation by Meyerhoff and grants from the State of Maryland and City of Baltimore.
At the opening concert, Comissiona led the Orchestra in a world premiere performance of Housewarming by Morton Gould
which was commissioned for the occasion. Other works on the program included Symphonic Variations by César Franck
featuring pianist Leon Fleisher
and Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss
Music venue
A music venue is any location used for a concert or musical performance. Music venues range in size and location, from an outdoor bandshell or bandstand or a concert hall to an indoor sports stadium. Typically, different types of venues host different genres of music...
that opened September 16, 1982 at 1212 Cathedral Street in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, USA. The main auditorium has a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 2,443 people, and is home to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is a professional American symphony orchestra based in Baltimore, Maryland.In September 2007, Maestra Marin Alsop led her inaugural concerts as the Orchestra’s twelfth music director, making her the first woman to head a major American orchestra.The BSO Board...
. It is named for Joseph Meyerhoff
Joseph Meyerhoff
Joseph Meyerhoff was an American businessman, fundraiser, and philanthropist based in Baltimore, Maryland. His son is Harvey Meyerhoff.-Biography:...
, a Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
-born Baltimore businessman, philanthropist, and arts patron who became president of the Baltimore Symphony in 1965, a position he held for 18 years.
Architecture
The modernModern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
style structure was designed by the architectural firms of Pietro Belluschi
Pietro Belluschi
Pietro Belluschi was an American architect, a leader of the Modern Movement in architecture, and was responsible for the design of over one thousand buildings....
, Inc. and Jung/Brannen Associates
TRO Jung Brannen
TRO Jung|Brannen is the largest international design architectural firm headquartered in Boston. The firm celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2009. The firm has offices in Boston, Beijing, Birmingham, Alabama, Dubai, Memphis, Tennessee, and Sarasota, Florida. The current firm is as a result of the...
and ground was broken November 10, 1978. Acoustical design was by Bolt, Beranek and Newman
BBN Technologies
BBN Technologies is a high-technology company which provides research and development services. BBN is based next to Fresh Pond in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA...
and uses a series of convex curves to avoid flat surfaces or ninety-degree angles inside the hall.
The auditorium is oval, its cylindrical wall extends the entire height of the building with the roof sloping down over the stage area. The exterior surface of the cylinder is covered in brown brick and rises through the lobby to be clearly discernible on the exterior of the building. Backstage areas are housed in a concentric oval which projects from the rear of the building while the lobby and patron areas are housed under a sloping metal roof which extends from the building's front. The exterior lobby walls feature large expanses of glass to open the building to the plaza which surrounds it.
The auditorium ceiling ranges from a height of 44 ft (13.4 m) above the stage to 62 ft (18.9 m) at the rear wall. The walls of the stage are covered in a light-colored wood and feature box seats. Suspended above the stage originally were 52 precast concrete "clouds" which helped diffuse sound. These were removed in 2001 and replaced with an acoustical canopy. The five-year renovation program which began in 1997, also included a new stage lighting system, new stage risers and equipment lift, expanded storage and performer dressing rooms, increased patron washrooms and improved access for patrons with physical disabilities.
The stage is 65 ft (19.8 m) wide and 35 ft (10.7 m) deep. To accommodate a chorus, the rear wall moves to provide an additional 12 ft (3.7 m) of space.
In addition to the main auditorium, the facility includes the John Gidwitz Recital Hall, reception and meeting rooms and administrative offices.
The Meyerhoff is immediately adjacent to the Cultural Center Station on the Baltimore Light Rail
Baltimore Light Rail
The Maryland Transit Administration Light Rail is a light rail system serving Baltimore, Maryland, United States, and the surrounding suburbs.In downtown Baltimore it uses city streets...
, and within walking distance of the State Center
State Center (Metro Subway station)
The State Center Metro Subway Station is one of 14 stops along the Baltimore Metro Subway line. It is the tenth most northern and western station on the line, the first one in the area viewed by many as "downtown Baltimore," and is within a close walk of the Cultural Center Light Rail Stop and many...
Station on the Baltimore Metro Subway
Baltimore Metro Subway
The Baltimore Metro Subway, known locally as the Metro Subway, The Subway, or Baltimore Metro is a rapid transit line serving the greater Baltimore, Maryland, United States area and operated by the Maryland Transit Administration...
.
History
The idea of a new home for the Orchestra was first raised in 1969 by then conductor Sergiu ComissionaSergiu Comissiona
Sergiu Comissiona was a Romanian conductor and violinist.-Early life:...
and executive director Joseph Leavitt. The orchestra's home at the time was the Lyric Opera House
Lyric Opera House
The Lyric Opera House is a music venue in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The building was modeled after the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, and it was inaugurated on October 31, 1894, with a performance by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Australian opera singer Nellie Melba as the featured...
and frequent scheduling conflicts forced the musicians to rehearse in school gymnasiums and prepare for concerts in in dark and cramped backstage areas of the Opera House. Major funding for construction came from a donation by Meyerhoff and grants from the State of Maryland and City of Baltimore.
At the opening concert, Comissiona led the Orchestra in a world premiere performance of Housewarming by Morton Gould
Morton Gould
Morton Gould was an American composer, conductor, arranger, and pianist.Born in Richmond Hill, New York, Gould was recognized early as a child prodigy with abilities in improvisation and composition. His first composition was published at age six...
which was commissioned for the occasion. Other works on the program included Symphonic Variations by César Franck
César Franck
César-Auguste-Jean-Guillaume-Hubert Franck was a composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher who worked in Paris during his adult life....
featuring pianist Leon Fleisher
Leon Fleisher
Leon Fleisher is an American pianist and conductor.-Early life and studies:Fleisher was born in San Francisco, where he started studying the piano at age four...
and Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is known for his operas, which include Der Rosenkavalier and Salome; his Lieder, especially his Four Last Songs; and his tone poems and orchestral works, such as Death and Transfiguration, Till...