Helsinki Music Centre
The Musiikkitalo ( Finnish for " House of Music ") is a concert hall in the Finnish capital Helsinki. It opened in 2011 and is the music center of the Helsinki Philharmonic, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Sibelius Academy, the only music university in Finland. The acclaimed acoustics of the main hall was designed by the Japanese Yasuhisa Toyota.
History
Before the opening of Musiikkitalo larger concerts were usually listed in the planned by Alvar Aalto Finlandia Hall. Their acoustics has often been criticized. After twenty years of discussion could be started in 2008 with the construction of the new concert hall. The construction costs of 188 million euros contributed by the Finnish government, the City of Helsinki and the public- service broadcaster Yleisradio. The opening concert took place on August 31, 2011. It was opened with the Finlandia by Jean Sibelius.
Soon their Musiikkitalo turned out to be unexpectedly successful. In the first nine months (September 2011 - May 2012 ) more than 400,000 visitors were counted, of which 330,000 concert-goers, many more than expected. It was in this period about 100 events per month, most sold. Beginning of 2013 exceeded the concert and visitor numbers expected levels still fourfold.
Buildings and features
The Musiikkitalo located in the city center on Boulevard Mannerheimintie and is surrounded by several distinctive buildings: the Finlandia Hall, the Art Museum Kiasma, the Finnish Parliament and the National Museum of Finland. The block- like construction of the new music center works from the outside relatively simple, which according to the architect Marko Kivistö also so intended, because the building is so better add in its surroundings. It has on one side a green copper façade and thus a color connection to the greenery of the adjoining park. The large glass fronts on the other side of the building indicate the Töölö Bay, similarly as is the case with the nearby Opera House.
The Musiikkitalo has a large concert hall with 1704 seats and six other small halls with 140 to 400 seats. These are set up (mainly electronic music and chamber music ) specifically for different musical genres. The main hall is by Yasuhisa Toyota with terraced rising grandstands, similar to the Weinberg form, " has once invented Hans Scharoun for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra " was established. The walls are made of dark stained, layered birch wood panels. By splitting the sound waves to reach the underlying irregularly shaped concrete walls, thereby preventing formation of an echo may occur towards the stage. Through the black seats of the room is very dark and so contrasts with the light pine wooden stage.
Another part of the building houses classrooms, the Sibelius Academy and a music library. The foyers, the cafe and the music business in Musiikkitalo are freely accessible, the building is open all day.