H4 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2006 WWW.KANSASCITY.COM THE KANSAS CITY STAR. TWO STAGES • ONE REP Twice the possibilities! NOW THRU OCT 15 SPENCER THEATRE • 4949 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO KC REP IS THE PROFESSIONAL THEATRE IN RESIDENCE AT UMKC. with BRIAN ANTHONY WILSON As seen on HBO’s THE WIRE 816.235.2700 • www.kcrep.org Partial support provided by kc rep is the professional theatre in residence at umkc. TWO STAGES • ONE REP Twice the ssibilities! SPENCER THEATRE •4949 Cherry, KCMO MAJOR LEAGUE PLAYMAKING 104 SCROOGE SAVER SALE! ~ 4 DAYS ONLY! INTERNET SALE: OCT 14-17 PHONE SALE: OCT 16-17 Order your ticket online or by phone Oct 14 through 17 and receive an additional 25% off the already-discounted Scrooge Saver dates (November 18 thru 30)! Visit www.kcrep.org or call 816.235.2700. PLEASE USE THE CODE WORD “HOLIDAY” when you place your order! Media Sponsor Exclusively presented by ecember 24, 2006 Call 913-469-4445 or visit www.jccc.edu/CarlsenCenter Buy online: Johnson County Community College Deaf and hearing impaired TDD/TTY 913-469-4465 From Israel D eca D ance Batsheva Dance Company 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21 (Q&A with the &A with the a ar tists a tists afte fter the r the S Satur turda day pe y perf rf orma ormance nce) 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22 A thrilling a selection of artistic director Ohad Naharin’s best work. Taking modern dance to the cutting edge, with extraordinary dancers doing stunning movement set to thrilling music – classical to rock. In partnership with the Jewish Community Center and supported in part by Jewish Community Foundation Funds: Norman Glazer & Jean Burstein Glazer Fund for Jewish Cultural Arts, Helen and Sam Kaplan Memorial Fund, and Earl J. & Leona K. Tranin Special Fund. The English Concert with Andrew Manze Nov. 4 Ed McMahon Nov. 10-11 Upcoming Carlsen Center events: 816. 531. PLAY(7529) www.unicorntheatre.org giant stars. titan egos. high-voltage humor. by Austin Pendleton 2006-2007 SEASON Reveal. React. Reflect. Tickets available through central ticket office on our website. OCT 20-NOV12 •3828 Main Street ONLY 2 WEEKS LEFT! In 20 years of business in Kansas City, Omni Models Inc. has become famous for its in- credibly realistic-looking mini- atures. Its architectural models are as fascinating as any dollhouse, lit from within and detailed with tiny windows, trees and cars. The company’s subjects have included everything from a Saudi soccer stadium to the Sprint Center Arena in down- town Kansas City. But the structure it is cur- rently building in a Crossroads Art District firehouse is like nothing Omni has done before: a one-tenth scale interior model of the orchestra hall of the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Made entirely of birch that is measured and cut by complex computer programs, the 20- foot-high model will eventually be used by Kauffman Center acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota to fine-tune the acoustics before the interior design details are finalized. The pioneering use of these models has made Toyota’s company, Nagata Acoustics of Japan, famous for nearly per- fect acoustics — from Suntory Hall in Japan, hailed as one of the greatest acoustic successes in history when it opened in 1986, to Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles, which has trans- formed not just the sound but also the reputation of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The goal of the models, which can cost tens of thou- sands of dollars to build, is to find “detrimental echoes” and to eliminate them, Toyota said. “Computer models cannot say anything about echoes. Hearing is everything.” Eliminating echoes is one of the elements that creates a nat- ural decay of a sound. “There must be nothing to interrupt the decay,” Toyota said. Toward that end, acousti- cians have developed an almost unbelievable science to test how sound bounces around a concert hall. First, they build an absolutely airtight chamber in- side the model, into which they pump nitrogen to remove the 15 percent oxygen found natu- rally in the air. Oxygen slows sounds, thus interfering with the sounds that are to be broad- cast inside the chamber. Then they install between 20 and 30 tiny microphones in places where the audience would be sitting. Finally they project sounds from the stage area, where the orchestra will sit. But not just any sounds. Since this model is one-tenth the size of the future concert hall, the sounds must have one- tenth the wavelength of a sound we want to hear. That means the sounds projected into the model are extremely high-pitched and have to be electronically slowed so that the human ear can hear them. From there, movable surfaces inside the hall are adjusted to enhance or delete unwanted echoes that are picked up by the microphones. Don’t feel bad if you find it all a bit baffling. Toyota said it took scientists decades to de- velop these techniques, begin- ning in the 1960s in Germany. The point is that it works. So far Nagata Acoustics has yet to build an acoustic dud, and most of its buildings have been acclaimed as pinnacles of the acoustic art. “If the Disney hall is any indi- cation of what they’re capable of, we have a lot to look for- ward to,” said Kansas City Sym- phony executive director Frank Byrne at the time Toyota was appointed to the project. Indeed critics and audiences have raved about Disney as they have about few halls opened in the last 20 years. The most rhapsodic was not a mu- sic critic but Herbert Mus- champ, the architecture critic for the New York Times: “Mozart’s 32nd Symphony nearly brought on an attack of Stendhal’s syndrome, the noto- riously romantic state of panic induced by aesthetic ecstasy. Audience, music, architecture were infused by a sensation of unity so profound that time stopped.” It’s hard to overlook how similar in shape the Kauffman Center symphony hall is to Dis- ney’s elongated bowl shape. And in light of Toyota’s dec- laration that his firm gets better with each new hall because “we learn from what went be- fore,” there is reason to believe that Kansas City might be in store for an acoustic design as good as any in the world. What on earth will we do with such a thing? To reach Paul Horsley, classical music critic and dance writer, call (816) 234-4764 or write e-mail to [email protected]. Better music through science By PAUL HORSLEY The Kansas City Star ALLISON LONG | KANSAS CITY STAR Richard Dautremont, of Omni Models Inc., sands wood in front of a scale model of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. The model will be used for acoustic testing. Local model-building firm helps Kauffman Center acoustician fine-tune hall’s acoustics. CLASSICAL MUSIC + DANCE
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
H4 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2006 WWW.KANSASCITY.COMTHE KANSAS CITY STAR. T W O S T A G E S • O N E R E PT w i c e t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s !
NOW THRU OCT 15
SPENCER THEATRE • 4949 Cherr y Street, Kansas Cit y, MO KC REP IS THE PROFESSIONAL THEATRE IN RESIDENCE AT UMKC.
withBRIAN ANTHONY
WILSONAs seen on HBO’s THE WIRE
8 1 6 . 2 3 5 . 2 7 0 0 • w w w . k c r e p . o r g
Partial support provided by
kc rep is the professional theatre in residence at umkc.
T W O S T A G E S • O N E R E PT w i c e t h e s s i b i l i t i e s !
SPENCER THEATRE •4949 Cherry, KCMO
MAJOR LEAGUE PLAYMAKING
104
SCROOGE SAVER SALE! ~ 4 DAYS ONLY!INTERNET SALE: OCT 14-17 PHONE SALE: OCT 16-17Order your ticket online or by phone Oct 14 through 17 and receivean additional 25% off the already-discounted Scrooge Saver dates (November 18 thru 30)! Visit www.kcrep.org or call 816.235.2700.PLEASE USE THE CODE WORD “HOLIDAY” when you place your order!
Media Sponsor
Exclusively presented by
ecember 24, 2006
Call 913-469-4445or visit www.jccc.edu/CarlsenCenter Buy online:
Johnson County Community CollegeDeaf and hearing impaired TDD/TTY 913-469-4465
From Israel
Deca DanceBatsheva Dance Company8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21
(Q&A with the&A with the aartists atists aftefter ther the SSaturturdaday pey perfrformaormancence)
2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22
A thrilling a selection of artistic director Ohad Naharin’s best work.
Taking modern dance to the cutting edge, with extraordinary dancers doing stunningmovement set to thrilling music –classical to rock.
In partnership with the Jewish Community Center and supported in part by Jewish CommunityFoundation Funds: Norman Glazer & Jean Burstein Glazer Fund for Jewish Cultural Arts, Helen andSam Kaplan Memorial Fund, and Earl J. & Leona K. Tranin Special Fund.
The EnglishConcert withAndrew Manze Nov. 4
Ed McMahonNov. 10-11
Upcoming Carlsen Center events:
816. 531. PLAY(7529)
www.unicorntheatre.org
giant stars. titan egos.
high-voltage humor.
by Austin Pendleton
2006-2007 SEASON
Reveal. React. Reflect.Tickets available through central ticket office on our website.
OCT20-NOV12
•3828 Main Street
ONLY 2 WEEKS LEFT!
In 20 years of business inKansas City, Omni Models Inc.has become famous for its in-credibly realistic-looking mini-atures.
Its architectural models areas fascinating as any dollhouse,lit from within and detailedwith tiny windows, trees andcars. The company’s subjectshave included everything froma Saudi soccer stadium to theSprint Center Arena in down-town Kansas City.
But the structure it is cur-rently building in a CrossroadsArt District firehouse is likenothing Omni has done before:a one-tenth scale interiormodel of the orchestra hall ofthe new Kauffman Center forthe Performing Arts.
Made entirely of birch that ismeasured and cut by complexcomputer programs, the 20-foot-high model will eventuallybe used by Kauffman Centeracoustician Yasuhisa Toyota tofine-tune the acoustics beforethe interior design details arefinalized.
The pioneering use of thesemodels has made Toyota’scompany, Nagata Acoustics ofJapan, famous for nearly per-fect acoustics — from SuntoryHall in Japan, hailed as one ofthe greatest acoustic successesin history when it opened in1986, to Walt Disney Hall inLos Angeles, which has trans-formed not just the sound butalso the reputation of the LosAngeles Philharmonic.
The goal of the models,which can cost tens of thou-sands of dollars to build, is tofind “detrimental echoes” andto eliminate them, Toyota said.
“Computer models cannotsay anything about echoes.
Hearing is everything.” Eliminating echoes is one of
the elements that creates a nat-ural decay of a sound.
“There must be nothing tointerrupt the decay,” Toyotasaid.
Toward that end, acousti-cians have developed an almostunbelievable science to testhow sound bounces around aconcert hall. First, they build anabsolutely airtight chamber in-side the model, into which theypump nitrogen to remove the15 percent oxygen found natu-rally in the air. Oxygen slowssounds, thus interfering withthe sounds that are to be broad-cast inside the chamber.
Then they install between 20and 30 tiny microphones inplaces where the audiencewould be sitting. Finally theyproject sounds from the stagearea, where the orchestra willsit.
But not just any sounds.Since this model is one-tenththe size of the future concerthall, the sounds must have one-tenth the wavelength of a
sound we want to hear. Thatmeans the sounds projectedinto the model are extremelyhigh-pitched and have to beelectronically slowed so thatthe human ear can hear them.
From there, movable surfacesinside the hall are adjusted toenhance or delete unwantedechoes that are picked up bythe microphones.
Don’t feel bad if you find it alla bit baffling. Toyota said ittook scientists decades to de-velop these techniques, begin-ning in the 1960s in Germany.
The point is that it works. Sofar Nagata Acoustics has yet tobuild an acoustic dud, andmost of its buildings have beenacclaimed as pinnacles of theacoustic art.
“If the Disney hall is any indi-cation of what they’re capableof, we have a lot to look for-ward to,” said Kansas City Sym-phony executive director FrankByrne at the time Toyota wasappointed to the project.
Indeed critics and audienceshave raved about Disney asthey have about few halls
opened in the last 20 years. Themost rhapsodic was not a mu-sic critic but Herbert Mus-champ, the architecture criticfor the New York Times:
“Mozart’s 32nd Symphonynearly brought on an attack ofStendhal’s syndrome, the noto-riously romantic state of panicinduced by aesthetic ecstasy.Audience, music, architecturewere infused by a sensation ofunity so profound that timestopped.”
It’s hard to overlook howsimilar in shape the KauffmanCenter symphony hall is to Dis-ney’s elongated bowl shape.
And in light of Toyota’s dec-laration that his firm gets betterwith each new hall because“we learn from what went be-fore,” there is reason to believethat Kansas City might be instore for an acoustic design asgood as any in the world.
What on earth will we dowith such a thing? To reach Paul Horsley, classicalmusic critic and dance writer,call (816) 234-4764 or writee-mail to [email protected].
Better music through science
By PAUL HORSLEYThe Kansas City Star
ALLISON LONG | KANSAS CITY STAR
Richard Dautremont, of Omni Models Inc., sands wood in front of a scale model of theKauffman Center for the Performing Arts. The model will be used for acoustic testing.
Local model-buildingfirm helps KauffmanCenter acousticianfine-tune hall’s acoustics.
CLASSICAL MUSIC + DANCE
Related Documents
![Le Châtelier’s principle. The significance of Kc values Kc = Products Reactants Kc = Products Reactants If Kc is small (0.001 or lower), [products] must.](https://static.cupdf.com/doc/110x72/56649cff5503460f949cff35/le-chateliers-principle-the-significance-of-kc-values-kc-products-reactants.jpg)
