Chetham’s School of Music Stoller Hall opens with a magnificent Opening Weekend showcasing the brilliance and versatility of the space.
The Hall is officially launched on Sunday Night with a Royal Opening Celebration featuring conductors Sir Mark Elder and Stephen Threlfall, soloists Paul Lewis and Kitty Whately plus a host of superb musicians in two orchestras.
His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Patron of Chetham’s School of Music, will officially open The Stoller Hall.
The £8.7m concert hall boosts a 500-seat acoustically immaculate auditorium perfect for a variety of ensembles across many genres; for chamber orchestras, choirs, chamber music and recitals plus an adventurous programme of contemporary and Jazz music, comedy, spoken word and public participatory events.
The Stoller Hall has been designed by Stephenson Studio architects with Arup Acoustics, and built by Sir Robert McAlpine.
£7m of its overall cost has been donated by Sir Norman Stoller through the Stoller Charitable Trust, with additional support from the Garfield Weston Foundation.
There is a weekend of festivities. On Friday BBC Radio 3 open the Hall with a special live broadcast of In Tune; enjoy late night jazz fusion with Gwilym Simcock and his friends, superb chamber music from the Navarra String Quartet as they continue Chetham’s complete cycle of Shostakovich String Quartets.
While in the second space, the Carole Nash Hall, there’s music and dance from the Hammond School, Chester and Victoria College of Arts, Melbourne; whilst in the Oglesby Atrium, Gabriella Swallow and her Urban Family give two dynamic free performances for audiences of all ages.
Alongside them, there’ll be exhibitions of music photography by Tom Bangbala and new panels created by artist James Mayhew with primary school children from across Greater Manchester – a project by the school’s Outreach department, who also present a brand new piece of music by composer Michael Betteridge, inspired by the city and performed by its young players.
