National Music Centre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids National Music Centre |
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Centre nationale de musique
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Street entrance
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| Alternative names | Studio Bell |
| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Music Museum |
| Location | Calgary, Alberta |
| Coordinates | 51°02′43″N 114°03′18″W / 51.0453°N 114.0549°W |
| Construction started | 2013 |
| Completed | 2016 |
| Cost | $191 million |
| Owner | National Music Centre |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 5 |
| Floor area | 160,000 sq ft (15,000 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Allied Works Architecture |
| Services engineer | SMP Engineering |
The National Music Centre (NMC), also known as Studio Bell, is a special place in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It's a non-profit museum and a place where live music shows happen. You can find it in the Downtown East Village area of Calgary.
History
How It All Started
The idea for the National Music Centre began in 1987. This was when a large pipe organ was put into Calgary's Jack Singer Concert Hall. This organ was called the Carthy Organ.
Because of this organ, an event called the International Organ Festival and Competition started. Later, in 1996, a new group called the Chinook Keyboard Centre was formed. They began collecting keyboard instruments.
In the year 2000, the Chinook Keyboard Centre changed its name. It became the Cantos Music Museum. They started collecting more than just keyboards. They added electronic instruments and sound equipment. The museum also began offering tours and concerts.
Moving to Customs House
In 2003, the Cantos Music Museum joined with another group. They became the Cantos Music Foundation. They moved into a historic building called the Customs House. Here, they offered more music programs.
In 2005, an exhibition celebrated 100 years of music in Alberta. This led to bigger plans for the organization. They wanted to celebrate and share Canadian music history. In February 2012, the Cantos Music Foundation officially became the National Music Centre.
The centre soon needed a bigger home. Plans were made for a new building in Calgary's East Village. Construction started on February 22, 2013. The building was designed by architect Brad Cloepfil. The final cost for the new building was $191 million.
The National Music Centre closed its Customs House location in December 2014. This allowed them to move everything to the new building.
Welcome to Studio Bell
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The National Music Centre's new building, called Studio Bell, opened on Canada Day, July 1, 2016. About 5,600 people came to the opening. Famous Canadian musicians like Jim Cuddy from Blue Rodeo and Alan Doyle from Great Big Sea performed.
Studio Bell shows off the centre's amazing collection. It has over 2,000 rare instruments and music-related items. Some cool things you can see include the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. There's also the TONTO synthesizer and one of Elton John's pianos. The building also houses the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.
The inside of Studio Bell is covered with 226,000 special terracotta tiles. These tiles were made in Germany and fired in the Netherlands. The company Bell Canada paid $10 million for the building to be named "Studio Bell" for 12 years.
The centre offers many activities every day. These include interactive education programs and artist workshops. They also have exhibitions and live performances. There's even a program for artists to live and create music there.
Studio Bell also has broadcast studios for the CKUA Radio Network. It has a performance hall that can hold 300 people. This hall has hosted many events, including one of The Tragically Hip's last concerts. A historic building, the King Edward Hotel, is also part of the centre. It was taken apart and rebuilt. Now, it's a live music venue open seven nights a week.
See also
- List of music museums
