“Fundraising for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s new hall is proceeding apace, with pledges of £20 million from the U.K. and Scottish governments and £10 million from the Dunard Trust, a private arts fund,” writes Sarah Shay in Friday’s (10/20) Musical America (subscription required). “The £45 million hall, to the called The Impact Center, is to be built in Edinburgh’s historic New Town, with designs set to be revealed next month. According to its principals, this will be the first dedicated performance hall to be built in the city in 100 years. Plans call for a 1,000-seat auditorium, plus rehearsal space, and it is to be used not only by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra but outside groups as well. As the project’s website states, despite Edinburgh’s broad range of cultural options, ‘it lacks a purpose-designed, mid-sized venue which can provide a world-class acoustic experience and acts as a hub for all kinds of performance—from orchestral to jazz and folk and including performance of dance and the spoken word. All this is set to change’ with the availability of The Impact Center, which will boast ‘the very best acoustics, comfortable seating, and uninterrupted sightlines.’ ”
Posted October 23, 2017
