Winspear Centre facts for kids
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Exterior view of the venue (c.2006)
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| Address | 4 Sir Winston Churchill Square NW Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4X8 |
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| Coordinates | 53°32′38″N 113°29′15″W / 53.54389°N 113.48750°W |
| Public transit |      Churchill station |
| Owner | City of Edmonton |
| Operator | Edmonton Concert Hall Foundation |
| Type | Performing arts centre |
| Capacity | 1,716 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1995 |
| Opened | September 12, 1997 |
| Construction cost | CA$45 million ($72.7 million in 2021 dollars ) |
| Architect | Cohos Evamy Partners |
| Tenants | |
| Edmonton Symphony Orchestra | |
The Francis Winspear Centre for Music is a special place in Downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It's a performing arts centre where people go to enjoy music and shows. It first opened its doors in 1997.
This amazing building is the main home for the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. The centre is named after Francis G. Winspear. He gave a huge donation of $6 million to help build it. This was the biggest private gift ever given to a performing arts building in Canadian history at that time!
Contents
Building the Winspear Centre
Building the Winspear Centre was a big project. Besides Francis Winspear's generous gift, the Canadian government and the Alberta government also helped. They each gave $15 million to make the centre a reality.
How Many People Can the Hall Hold?
The main concert hall is designed to hold many people. It has seats for 1,668 guests. If they use the choir loft area, which is above the main stage, even more people can fit. This means up to 1,884 people can enjoy a performance at once!
The Hall's Unique Shape
The concert hall is a tall, rectangular room. It has curved balconies and terraces that step down towards the stage. This design is a modern version of classic "shoebox" shaped concert halls. These older halls from the late 1800s and early 1900s were known for their great sound.
The Amazing Davis Concert Organ
In 2002, a very special instrument was added to the centre. It's called the Davis Concert Organ. This huge pipe organ was built by Orgues Létourneau Limitée in Quebec. It has an incredible 96 stops, 122 ranks, and 6,551 pipes!
The organ was named after Stuart Davis. This was to thank him for his kindness and to remember his late wife, Winona. Its first performance on September 14, 2002, was completely sold out.
Future Plans: The Winspear Project
Since 2009, there have been plans to make the Winspear Centre even bigger and better. This expansion project is called the Winspear Project. It started raising money in 2020.
What Will the Winspear Project Include?
The Winspear Project is a big plan with many parts. It will add 41,000 square feet of new space. It will also update and refresh the existing areas. New additions will include a YMCA daycare and a parking area.
The project aims to raise $17 million from the community. This money will help create a new 550-seat hall. This hall will be flexible and great for different types of acoustic performances. There will also be more parking, multi-purpose rooms, and commercial spaces.
This expansion will become the main place for community programs. These programs are offered through the Tommy Banks Centre. The project will allow the Winspear Centre to offer more programs and work with other arts groups.
How the Winspear Sounds So Good
The sound inside the Winspear Centre is amazing! This is thanks to special features that help control the acoustics. Acoustics is how sound travels and bounces around in a space.
Adjusting the Sound
The Winspear uses velour banners and curtains to change the sound. These can make the sound less echoey for certain musical events. They are also used during orchestra rehearsals. This helps musicians practice as if a full audience were there.
The Canopy System
An adjustable canopy system also helps with the sound. It balances how clear and how echoey the performances are. It also helps control how loud the sound is. Along with curved sound reflectors, it helps musicians on stage hear each other better.
Images for kids
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The Davis Concert Organ
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The Winspear Centre Performance Chamber
See also
- List of concert halls
