Southbank Centre in London has launched an “experimental” soundsystem that was designed and developed by the centre’s own sound technician. The new installation named Concrete Voids is tailor-made and uses loudspeakers installed throughout the Southbank Centre’s auditorium, delivering a unique design that transforms the room into a three-dimensional instrument.
Over 80 speakers, positioned inside the chambers and vents across the Queen Elizabeth Hall auditorium, power Concrete Voids, which is said to create “complicated soundscapes” during performances by utilising the spatial audio solution TiMax panLab. This feature allows for sound sources to be moved and manipulated within the space during performance.
Concrete Voids provides opportunities for artists to push the boundary of their creativity and provide a platform for new and ambitious music genres according to the centre’s artistic director, Mark Ball. The system is powerful enough for audiences to have an entirely new experience at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, and despite the auditorium’s heavy concrete elements, the space is lively, says Mark Ball.
In March this year, Concrete Voids debuted with a series of concerts that started with musician Peter Gregson, who premiered with a performance featuring a mixture of cello, strings and synthesizers. The Southbank Centre Resident Orchestra Aurora Orchestra joined the performance. Tickets are already on sale for the first Concrete Void shows, with the next shows set to take place in April and October
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