San Diego Symphony Opens Renovated Jacobs Music Center

In Monday’s (9/23) Los Angeles Times, Tim Greiving writes, “Since taking over as chief executive of the San Diego Symphony in 2014, Martha Gilmer had as one of her three big goals a major renovation of the orchestra’s Jacobs Music Center in downtown San Diego…. Audiences will experience the stunning results Sept. 28 when conductor Rafael Payare and his orchestra launch their 2024-25 season in a program designed to showcase their new ‘instrument.’… The changes inside Jacobs are vivid … Cool blue chairs have replaced the imposing sea of red, with a much more natural curve and slope for lighting to the stage and vastly improved lighting … In addition to safety-related improvements such as air filtration and ADA seating, new amenities for musicians and visiting artists backstage include green rooms, guest artist suites, practice rooms, instrument lockers and a new music library, as well as new staircases and elevators. All told, the renovation cost $125 million…. [The building opened] in 1929 as the Fox Theatre … Sophisticated tuning and acoustic setups [have been] installed … that will allow for much greater control over sound at different types of concerts.”