Concert hall facts for kids

The large hall of the Wien Konzerthaus (Vienna Concert House). The stage is off to the left of the photo.

A concert hall is a special building or room where classical music concerts happen. It can be the whole building or just the main room where the music is played. Inside, there's usually a "stage" for the musicians and an "auditorium" where the audience sits to listen.

What is a Concert Hall?

Some concert halls are "purpose-built." This means they were designed and built specifically for concerts. Other halls might have been something else before, like a market, and were later changed into a concert hall. Buildings made just for concerts became more common around the early 20th century. This was when people started to understand how important good acoustics are. Acoustics is about how sound travels and sounds in a room.

Seating in Concert Halls

Concert halls built for music usually have seats that are fixed in place. You can't move them. But some halls have seats that can be moved or folded away. This allows the hall to be used for other things, like dancing or different events.

Berlin Philharmonie was built in the 1980s in Berlin as a home for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Most concert halls are quite large. They need to be big enough for a whole orchestra to play on the stage. A smaller concert hall, made for just a few musicians, might be called a "recital hall." These are perfect for chamber music, which is played by a small group.

Famous Concert Halls Around the World

Many concert halls are very famous. In London, England, you can find the Royal Festival Hall by the River Thames. There's also the Barbican Centre and the Royal Albert Hall, which hosts many different events. A well-known recital hall in London is the Wigmore Hall.

Iconic Concert Venues

Across the ocean, New York City has the famous Carnegie Hall. In Vienna, Austria, the Vienna Musikverein is home to the beautiful Golden Hall. This is where the famous New Year’s Day concerts are held. Germany has the Berliner Philharmonie in Berlin and the Gewandhaus in Leipzig. In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, there's the Concertgebouw. Its name actually means "concert hall" in Dutch!

Images for kids

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  Teatro Dal Verme, Milan c. 1875

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  Ríos Reyna Hall, Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex, Caracas

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  Carnegie Hall, New York City

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  Finlandia Hall, Helsinki

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  Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg

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  Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles

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  Musikverein, Vienna

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  Suntory Hall, Tokyo

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  Bridges Hall of Music, Claremont, California

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  Gallus' Hall in Cankar Centre.