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BRAVO! Rehearsal Studio is located inside the
historic CityTV/Much Music building in Toronto, above
a carpentry shop and across the street from a fire
station. The
owner’s goal was to provide an television
environment that musicians could feel at home in. A
fundamental part of the design was an
electro-acoustic enhancement system to simulate the
acoustics of a concert or recital hall. To facilitate
this the walls and ceiling have been covered with
acoustical material, some of which can be easily
removed to reveal mirrors for dance. The north wall
is covered with special acoustial diffusers; an
element of the room that was inspired by a
mathematical optimisation sequence and rendered into
an architectural sculpture.
With exterior windows
a metre deep, performers and audience members
routinely watch the fire trucks across the street
without hearing them. Carpentry noise is controlled
with much simpler technology. A light switch in the
studio and a big red light in the shop below!
Since it opened in
1995, the Rehearsal Studio has played host to the
likes of Philip Glass, Ben Hepner, Diana Krall and
many more.
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