After several years of renovations, renewals to downtown performing arts spaces are now complete.
A new video highlights the new facilities, features faculty members Jeri
Brown (Music), Ana Cappelluto (Theatre; Fine Arts Associate Dean, Planning and Academic Facilities), Michael Montanaro (Contemporary Dance), and showcases scenes from various performing arts courses and seminars, including Pamela Newell's dance class, Nancy Helms' theatre class and Kevin Austin's electroacoustics music class.
Formerly spread among several older buildings on the university's Loyola campus, the departments of Music, Theatre and Contemporary Dance have been consolidated in spacious modern facilities within the John Molson School of Business (MB) Building.
Contemporary dance and theatre programs are now offered in studios on the 7th floor of the MB building with theatre design classrooms and workshops in the nearby Guy-Metro
(GM) building. Music classes and performances take place in
state-of-the-art studio and rehearsal spaces on the Molson building's
8th floor. Faculty offices are in the nearby GM building.
The combined $11-million investment by the federal and provincial
governments through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program has also enabled Concordia to make the first significant
improvements to the D.B. Clarke Theatre in 40 years. Long-serving as one
of Concordia's premier performances spaces, the theatre located in the
Hall (HB) building is now a safer, more comfortable venue with 387 new
seats, a new curtain, new carpeting, and a beautifully refurbished teak
interior.
The fly system - a complex set of ropes, counterweights and pulleys used
to move curtains, backdrops and lighting - has been completely
upgraded. The lobby has also been reconfigured to create a space that
accommodates more people before and after performances as well as
break-out groups during conferences.
The new infrastructure at
the downtown campus provides an ideal environment for interdisciplinary
teaching, performance and research. Along with attracting the best
students, the new spaces are drawing the attention of the local arts
community and artists worldwide. This, in turn, is creating greater
visibility for the work of the students, who are gaining the skills to
thrive in Quebec and Canada's vibrant and innovative performing arts
culture.
The new Music, Contemporary Dance and Theatre facilities. Click thumbnails to enlarge.
Overall facilities
18 studios and classrooms
30 faculty offices
an on-site technical support equipment depot
LEED silver building certification meeting high environmental and sustainability criteria
proximity to Instructional and Information Technology Services and the Centre for Digital Arts
proximity to the Hexagram Institute for Research-Creation in Media Arts and Technologies
Theatre
four acting studios with sprung floors and state-of-the-art projection and integrated sound systems (two with lighting grids)
two design classrooms, as well as a lighting lab
new costume shop
new costume storage space and a dye lab
closer proximity to the newly renovated D.B. Clarke Theatre
Contemporary Dance
two standard dance studios with sprung floors
large dance studio with full lighting grid (Black Box)
video-recording equipment in each dance studio
state-of-the-art projection and integrated sound systems in each dance studio
Music
musical spaces designed by an acoustician specifically for the department's needs, all on one floor and accessible by elevator
jazz, electroacoustic, classical and choir "smart" classrooms with networked multimedia, mixing and playback capabilities
recording room and control booth wired to record and playback activities in certain classrooms
electroacoustic studios, including an octophonic studio
keyboard lab featuring 16 keyboards
state-of-the-art practice modules with built-in soundproofing designed for solo or ensemble use
