J.S. Bach at Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester, United Kingdom

Manchester Art Gallery transformed as concert hall for International Festival
Zaha Hadid Architects and Manchester International Festival, with Manchester Art Gallery and three of the world’s leading concert soloists, will present a unique collaborative work for the 2009 Festival. Zaha Hadid Architects will visually and acoustically transform one of the exhibition spaces in Manchester Art Gallery into an intimate chamber music hall in which to hear the solo works of J S Bach.

Across a series of nine concerts, pianist Piotr Anderszewski, cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras and violinist Alina Ibragimova will perform J S Bach’s solo instrumental works for a small audience of 200 people at each performance. The new space will also be open to the public during usual gallery hours.

Zaha Hadid said: “As an articulation of the rhythmic and harmonic range Bach was able to achieve within the mathematical framework of his music, Zaha Hadid Architects’ design will explore this multiplicity by developing a coherent integration of formal and structural logic”.

Of this commission, Festival Director Alex Poots said, "The aim is to create a near-perfect visual and sonic environment for the audience to experience some of the world’s best-loved chamber music. Zaha Hadid Architects consistently come up with challenging and innovative ideas. It will be intriguing to see what they produce on this intimate level."

source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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