Centre for Music - proposed new London concert hall

If this means hearing the wonderful LSO and BBC symphony orchestra without going to the Barbican then Im sold on the plan

Something in tonight’s Evening Standard, although I do not follow the genre, I have a colleague who is mad on classical music, only tonight he has gone to a concert at Wigmore Hall, so he will be well pleased. This artist impression looks amazing though, agree with Jon the elephant in the room, is what do they do with the Barbican Symphony Hall? Could convert it into a theatre, but really is there much call for such another theatre in that area.

Interestingly classical music, it doesn’t matter where you sit, as it is a hearing thing and not visual like theatre. Classical music gets a sizeable Arts Council grant, for something there is no set, lighting or costumes, also no rehearsals, as a orchestra can just turn up and play what is instructed. However the orchestra are very skilled at what they do and they have a special ability that takes years for them to learn to play so well, I understand they’re not paid very well?

Phantom of London of London Trust me an or orchestra does need to rehearse and they do.

A normal BBC symphony concert of around 1.5hrs of music will have 2 or 3 days rehearsals

Thanks, didn’t know that, don’t really follow the genre, but respect it as it is part of our arts portfolio. Always assumed they just turn up and play the music as written and led by the conductor.

I have to say I do love this idea of an orchestra just showing up unrehearsed. Then milling around performing in the dark on stage because there's no set or lighting.

Why are people wondering, based on the above plan, what will now happen to the Barbican Hall? I'm assuming that as the Barbican is a partner in this enterprise and there's talk of expansion, that performance will be shared between the halls?

The drawing are only design concepts at this stage, but it is a good point Burly raises. Although modern glass would be perfectly safe, it's a far from ideal material to create the perfect acoustic, as I understand it.

And doesn't the exterior look rather similar to the Tate extension?

Not to mention the way it would reflect lighting which, given the shape of the Hall would be a nightmare. 
Apart from that, glass might be safe but tell that to someone with vertigo, finding themselves in the front row with only a sheet of glass between them and certain death. 

If they’ve left it out of the drawings for arstistic purposes then that’s very misleading, yet typical of the sort of film-flam architects get up to in the conceptual stage. You should take the rest of the proposed design with a pinch of salt, as it will probably look nowt like the finished building.

Well, if London really does need a major new concert hall then let's hope that the acoustics are superb, the public areas comfortable and easily navigable and the cost does not spiral wildly out of control.

Is anybody laying any bets on those three things?