The Jack Singer Concert Hall, located within Calgary’s Arts Commons, opened its doors in 1985. This venue is recognized as one of the finest concert halls in North America. A grand and luxurious space with a capacity of over 3,000 seats, it is perfectly suited for a variety of events – from major musical performances and large-scale shows to weddings and charity galas. Additionally, it is home to the world-renowned Carthy Organ, one of Canada’s largest pipe organs. Learn more about this extraordinary venue on calgary-trend.
History of Construction
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the city recognized the critical need for a permanent performance space for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Theatre Calgary, and Alberta Theatre Projects. In 1976, a charitable organization, EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts, was established to begin fundraising for this project.
The local architectural firm Raines, Finlayson, Barrett integrated two historic buildings, the Burns Building and the Public Building, to create Arts Commons. Officially opened on September 14, 1985, this arts complex became home to the Jack Singer Concert Hall.
Arts Commons is one of Canada’s largest arts centres, spanning a full city block on 8 Ave SE. In addition to the concert hall, it features five theatres, rehearsal rooms, art galleries, cafes, and spaces for community gatherings. It is also the home of eight resident companies that host cultural events, graduations, weddings, and performances year-round.
Who Was Jack Singer?
Jack Singer was a Canadian developer, financier, and philanthropist from Calgary. He owned a vast portfolio of properties in Canada and the United States but gained particular fame for acquiring the Hollywood-based American Zoetrope film company.
Jack began his career in business at the age of 17. Together with Abraham Belzberg, he purchased the Foothills Building in Calgary for $60,000. This success led them to establish United Management, which eventually owned over 200 properties.
The concert hall was named in Jack Singer’s honour after his sons, Alan and Stephen, donated $1.5 million USD towards its construction.
Purpose and Uses
The Jack Singer Concert Hall is home to the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, whose history dates back to 1910, as well as BD&P World Music and TD Jazz. The venue hosts a diverse range of events, including symphony performances, rock concerts, TED Talks, National Geographic Live presentations, weddings, graduations, charity events, and the finals of the Honens International Piano Competition.
Numerous renowned artists have performed on this stage, including Americans Emmylou Harris, Jason Mraz, and “Weird Al” Yankovic, Canadians Jim Cuddy and Bruce Cockburn, and English comedian John Cleese.
The hall operates with a vision of fostering a creative and compassionate society inspired by the arts, serving the community’s best interests.
Acoustic Features
Acoustic design for the Jack Singer Concert Hall was led by Frederick Russell Johnson, an American architect and acoustics expert who founded Artec Consultants Incorporated in 1970. Modeled after Vienna’s Musikvereinsaal, the hall accommodates 1,800 audience seats and 200 choir seats behind the orchestra.
Johnson used heavy materials, thick masonry, and plaster to create a space with brilliant sound, featuring strong resonant bass, clarity, and effortless projection.
Originally equipped only for radio and television recording, the hall underwent a $1 million sound system upgrade in 2004. New microphones, speakers, monitors, and visitor headsets were added. While some criticized its modest audience capacity from a financial perspective, its acoustics earned widespread praise. New York Times music critic Harold C. Schonberg called it “one of the finest concert halls in the hemisphere… an instrument of brilliant sound.”
The hall’s acoustics are adjustable using sound-absorbing curtains, banners, and a 56-ton laminated spruce acoustic reflector suspended above the stage. This reflector, weighing 90 tons in total, can be raised or lowered to suit the acoustics required for different performances.
In 1994, a MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) system was installed, enabling the organ to connect with computers and electronic instruments – one of the first of its kind.
In 2017, over 2,000 chairs were replaced with acoustically balanced seats featuring noiseless closing mechanisms and cupholders. In 2021, a new Meyer hybrid sound amplification system was introduced, replacing its predecessor that had served the venue for over 16 years.
The Carthy Organ
A highlight of the hall is the Carthy Organ, featuring 6,008 pipes. This handcrafted oak instrument was built by the Canadian company Casavant Frères. Its sound is produced by air moving through pipes of varying lengths and diameters.
The organ was acquired thanks to a donation from the Carthy Foundation, established by Edmonton-based physician and music lover Colm MacCarthy. The Mannix family also contributed $750,000 towards its purchase.
The instrument is designed for both solo concerts and performances with a full orchestra. It debuted on May 6, 1987, in a concert featuring Simon Preston and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. The organ later inspired the creation of the Calgary International Organ Festival.
The First International Organ Festival
The inaugural festival, held from October 13 to 19, 1990, featured an international organ competition and events aimed at raising awareness of the instrument and its value. Out of 108 applicants from 18 countries, only eight finalists were selected.
The winner, British organist Kevin Bowyer, received an international concert tour, a recording contract, a gold medal, and $12,000. The festival also included masterclasses, workshops, and a symposium attended by over 5,000 schoolchildren who toured local churches and learned about the city’s organs.
