Orchestra official speaks on new new concert hall

Peter Wyeth, managing director of development for the Philadelphia Orchestra, discussed the Orchestra's plans for a new concert hall before a small group of students Monday night. Wyeth said the Orchestra wants to build a new concert hall on Broad Street, approximately one block south of the Academy of Music, which it would continue to operate. The new building, he said, would include the concert hall, which will seat 2800, a 600 seat recital hall and a 500 car garage. "There's 60 to 70 groups we turn away each year and Philadelphia loses," Wyeth said. He added that other groups do not even attempt to visit Philadelphia. The new hall would allow these groups to perform in the city. The new hall will be "acoustically perfect" for an orchestra, Wyeth said. The Academy of Music has "good acoustics as an opera house for the sung voice," but not for symphonic music, he added. Wyeth showed a brief video pointing out that the new hall will create 1500 permanent new jobs. "This project is a pretty substantial one, we're trying to raise $85 million," Rubicom said. The new concert hall will cost $110 million. The remaining $25 million will come from a surcharge on tickets to all performances and revenue from the garage. Rubicom said that $24 million has already been raised. Richard Wernick, a professor of composition at the University, also spoke to the audience about his role as special consultant to the Orchestra's music director. Wernick aids Riccardo Muti in choosing modern American pieces for the orchestra to perform. "It's just what Philadelphia needs," said College sophomore Marianne Alves after the presentation. "It was great," Wyeth said. "the students seemed interested. We could do it again with the faculty." Many members of the faculty are orchestra subscribers. The program, which College senior Alan Stern organized, was sponsored by the presidents office, the Music Department, and Spruce Street House.

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