Installations

There’s definitely an upswing of interest in live theater and performing arts centers, both in terms of new construction, renovations of historical buildings and transformations of existing structures into new venues. Along the same lines, facilities have also seen the benefits of upgrading sound systems to meet increasingly higher standards set by audiences who expect hi-def clarity, vocal intelligibility and punch from live music and theatrical presentations. With that in mind, we looked into a number of interesting new projects and found a range of successful approaches designed for both production flexibility and great sound — in venues of all sizes.

Redemption Church, Gilbert, AZ

When Redemption Church recently committed to an expansion and retrofit of their multipurpose conference and worship center, they wanted an audio, video and lighting system that would provide a truly meaningful experience for their members.

On a lazy summer Sunday in 1986, a small group of faithful gathered at Zale Library on the campus of Bishop College in Dallas, and named their group the Provisional Baptist College. By September of that same year, the group had found a pastor, a meeting place, and a new name: Antioch Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church. Nearly three decades later, Antioch Church’s congregation has swelled to multiple thousands, drawing from all parts of the Dallas metroplex, and the 80,000 square-foot facility includes a large-scale multi-purpose hall with classrooms, bookstore, a full AV production suite and a 2,800-seat sanctuary.

Recently at FRONT of HOUSE, we’ve noticed a huge increase in installation projects, both in secular venues — such as performing arts, theaters, schools and sports facilities, but particularly, also with church and house of worship (HOW) sanctuaries. In fact, the latter market has experienced a major bump in activity over the past year, and it’s not limited to simple changes, but major projects, often involving high-end, high-tech approaches to providing superb audio for both the spoken word and music. With that in mind, we decided to spotlight a number of recent HOW installations that captured our eyes — and ears.

There are few outdoor venues in the world as instantly recognizable and respected as the Hollywood Bowl, the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 1922. With its iconic concentric ringed shell and dramatic Hollywood Hills backdrop, the country’s largest natural amphitheatre has been immortalized in dozens of films and television shows over the decades.

Audio installations and upgrades within large sports facilities present sound designers with several challenges, starting with scale — not just the vast, open-air or cavernous spaces, but the challenge of delivering an acceptable listening experience to everyone occupying all those seats and synchronizing the audio with today’s big video screens. Reverberation and intelligibility are huge challenges, particularly for enclosed spaces. Another significant factor that has to be considered is the exuberance of the fans themselves, and the need for the P.A. system to be heard above crowd noise that can peak at 105 dB or more. Last but not least are the challenges of getting the entire installation performed correctly, safely, on time and on budget, when those two invaluable commodities — time and money — are so often in scarce supply.

The story of Washington DC’s Warner Theatre is one that could be repeated about dozens of theaters around the country that began as classic art deco movie palaces, which in a bygone age, hosted silent films and vaudeville performers. As the years continued, many of these fell to the wayside, yet a fortunate few — like the Warner Theatre — were reborn and restored to reflect their former glory.

On Feb. 1, Stanford University’s performing arts presenter Stanford Live hosted a concert by the storied Cappella Romana vocal ensemble of Portland, OR. The ensemble’s name — meaning Roman Chapel — refers to the medieval Greek concept of the Roman oikoumene (inhabited world), which embraced Rome and Western Europe, as well as the Byzantine Empire of Constantinople (“New Rome”) and its Slavic commonwealth centered at Moscow. Recognized for its exploration of Eastern Orthodox vocal music, the ensemble’s performance at Stanford University’s Bing Concert Hall — titled Cappella Romana: From Constantinople to California — combined old-world Byzantine chants with the latest innovations in music technology from Stanford’s “Icons of Sound” project (http://iconsofsound.stanford.edu), to recreate the acoustics of Turkey’s legendary Hagia Sophia.

Bayside Church, Roseville, CA

When not on tour, Christian musician and pastor Lincoln Brewster can usually be found leading services at The Bayside Church, a four-campus church that typically draws a total 12,000 worshippers for weekend services. To meet the needs of the expanding congregation attending services at the church’s flagship location in Roseville, CA, church leaders recently expanded the seating capacity of the sanctuary from about 1,800 to 2,300.

Construction is underway with a four-month countdown to a grand opening on Jan. 21, 2013 (Martin Luther King Day) of the SFJAZZ Center, a new performance venue in the heart of San Francisco. Located at 205 Franklin St., the $63 million center is envisioned as a LEED-certified hub of art, music, culture and community in the Civic Center performing arts district, already home to Davies Symphony Hall, the San Francisco Opera House, the Herbst Theatre and the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.