Leonard Bernstein eloquently stated, “Any great art work . . . revives and readapts time and space, and the measure of its success is the extent to which it makes you an inhabitant of that world – the extent to which it invites you in and lets you breathe its strange, special air.” You may immediately associate this feeling with any number of great musical works, but I have often felt the same way about the spaces in which that music is performed. Concert halls can profoundly affect the overall experience of the listener and performer alike.
As an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois, I was immediately smitten with the Great Hall in the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. It is one of the few concert halls anywhere that possesses what is often described as perfect acoustics. I distinctly remember hearing the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra live there for the first time. It had always been a favorite regional orchestra of mine, and hearing them perform in the Great Hall immensely increased my adoration of them. I was seated in the balcony, and the sound quite literally floated up and washed over me.
In time, I also came to appreciate the band rehearsal hall. And while the acoustics of that space were not particularly memorable, the band leaders who had inhabited that space definitely were. While there, I created my own treasured memories under the baton. Even though the rehearsal building has undergone renovations, it still has that same musty, but endearing, smell every time I return to it.
Several years ago, Symphony Center in Chicago began renting out Orchestra Hall, the same stage that is regularly occupied by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. It has been a win/win for everyone: the hall is not dark nearly as many evenings, and more musicians are now enjoying the opportunity to perform on a world class stage. Frequently, two or three schools will go in together on a contract, making it a special occasion to share their music-making with a wider audience.
This spring break, 150 student musicians from New Trier High School will travel to New York City where they will perform in Carnegie Hall. Arguably, it is one of the most storied and famous concert halls in the world. I want to make sure that our students understand the significance of this moment, so I have been sharing anecdotes about the hall with them during daily rehearsals. I began with the well-known joke: “How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice.” Interestingly, the creation of that joke has been alternately attributed to Jascha Heifetz, Arthur Rubenstein, or Mischa Elman. An article concerning the mystery of its origin appeared in The New York Times in 2009.
I recently had a colleague suggest that we should also watch a portion of the film Florence Foster Jenkins, depicting her memorable performance there. Mrs. Jenkins had an innate and unabashed love of music, even in spite of her terrible voice. Anyone who has seen the movie can relate to her deep desire to appear on that famous stage. We were also able to make a connection with the Carnegie Hall archivist and are hoping to see some of the historical documents housed there. Shockingly, though, the archives were only begun there in 1986 – to think of all the musical memories that have been lost!
Regardless of the performance spaces at your institution, having the opportunity to perform in a unique concert hall is a compelling reason to get off campus. For a middle school, it might simply be the excitement of playing onstage at the local high school. For many directors, leading their own students in performance at the concert hall where they attended college has added meaning. Frequently, it’s the thrill of traveling many miles to perform in a well-known hall at a music festival. Wherever it may be, make sure to take a moment and breathe in its strange, special air.
– Matthew Temple
Contributing Editor
