Music may not be able to change the world, but it does make life more enjoyable. And listening to live music especially can boost mental wellbeing. One of the most commonly cited pleasures that people have missed during the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns is the delight of hearing musicians perform live in a concert venue, whatever the musical genre.
The San Diego Symphony (#sandiegosymphony) have not only been prepping to perform again in public, but the celebrated orchestra have also created a new arts space to enable music to be played all year round, creating their first-ever public performance space.
This is being realized via “The Future Is Hear” campaign (the pun on ‘hear’ being intentional). This is a $125 million initiative of which the central piece involves the construction and launch of The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park: A magnificent $85 million permanent outdoor venue contained within a public park. This new space will function as a cultural hub.
The Californian Symphony’s Music Director Rafael Payare describes the innovation as a “quantum leap” for music, and he adds: “During the darkest time we have kept dreaming together — dreaming really big.”
And big, bold, bright and vibrant the new concert venue is.
San Diego Symphony: Cultural icons
The San Diego Symphony has a long and impressive history. Formed in 1910, there has been a dazzling annual program and specially curated content each year. This included a series featuring pianist Lang Lang under the baton of Jahja Ling in 2013, that led to the China Friendship Tour that saw the orchestra play a series of well-received concert dates in Shanghai, Yantai (San Diego’s “Sister City”) and Beijing.
New venue for new times
The new space, which will be located alongside San Diego Bay, is on schedule to open during the summer 2021, a time when the majority of the community will have been vaccinated. Following the opening performance, the venue will provide all year-round programming for the San Diego community.
Providing the first permanent open-air performance venue in the San Diego Symphony’s century-long history, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park has also received considerable thought into the design. The performance arena has been mapped and adapted to ensure captivating acoustics and high definition video screens.
As well as providing a permanent performance space for the San Diego Symphony, the outdoor arena will also welcome a diverse array of musicians and artists from around the world.
The development has been funded through a philanthropic fund, where donations have continued to roll in despite the disruption wrought by coronavirus. The fund has achieved $98.7 million to date, edging closer to the $125 million target. The name of the new venue reflects the contributions of the fund’s biggest donors: Ernest and Evelyn Rady and Joan and Irwin Jacobs.
The fund remains open for donations. The first program for The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park will be announced on May 21, 2021.
