Wenger Corporation announces the addition of a custom Diva® Acoustical Shell at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville, TN. The shell complements the majestic architecture at Belmont and will accommodate the school’s dance, theatre, and musical performances, as well as an array of special events, including performances by the Nashville Ballet, Nashville Opera, traveling Broadway shows, and international artists.
“The beauty and performance capabilities of the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts are simply unmatched, and its possibilities are unparalleled,” says Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones. “This venue will equip students with the confidence and real-world experiences that set them apart as Belmont graduates while also attracting world-renowned artists to share their immense talents with our campus and the local community. With Belmont’s rich tradition of creativity and imagination across our campus, the Fisher Center will be a place for those values to come to life through curating, producing, and presenting stories and art that inspire.”
In 2018, the university began work on the new 1,700-seat performing arts center. From the beginning, the expectations were high, and the design team had a complicated task ahead. “This is a highly customized one-of-a-kind shell, which was years in the making,” explains Carrie Renchin, Wenger Corporation Project Manager. “We couldn’t have done it without the collaboration of our many partners.” The team included ESa Architects, Theatre Projects Consultants, Akustiks, R.C. Matthews, and several members of Wenger Corporation’s engineering and design team.
The Shell’s Specifics
The shell had to serve the many acoustical needs of the center and match the classical, decorative features of the venue. Custom urethane shapes were designed and applied to the front of the shell tower and ceiling panels. Each shell portion also incorporated many different colors to match the paint in the interior of the room.
The shell has 13 towers that are each 12’ wide and 40’ tall. There are four onstage ceiling rows and one forestage reflector. When not in use, the shell had to be stored in a 30’ high space, a safer size for students moving it, creating a challenge for Wenger engineers. They created motorized fold-over top sections on each of the towers so the top 10’ of the shell could fold back to be stored.
The second challenge was the sheer weight of the towers. The team reinforced the aluminum and steel structure to withstand the weight but made sure it was mobile enough to maneuver on stage. “Making it simple for the end-user was really important,” offers Millie Dixon, Theatre Projects Director and Project Manager. “Wenger stepped up to the plate when it came to balancing those practical needs of height, weight and functionality with all of the features that the architect wanted on the face of this shell. They did an outstanding job.”
Acoustical Excellence
The Belmont shell was customized not only from an engineering perspective, but from an acoustical one, too. Performances here range from professional orchestras to student choirs, to a variety of large and small ensembles, to any number of special events requiring a very versatile shell.
“When we design a multi-use hall, we create a concert hall condition in a room that also has the ability to function as a theatre with a full fly tower,” explains Russ Todd, Akustiks Principal and Managing Partner. “The shell is an extension of the room, and it blends in perfectly.”
Todd and his team also designed a sound-transparent ceiling as opposed to a plaster ceiling that allows the sound to project up into the upper volume of the room for the orchestra or opera for a full, rich resonance. “But for the amplified mode, we bring in adjustable acoustics above the sound transparent ceiling to dampen that reverberation,” he says.
Another custom element of the shell towers is a series of venting doors in the side wall towers. The venting allows for balancing sections of the orchestra, or if amplified sound is too intense, doors can be opened to allow some of the sound energy to escape. The shell is also big enough to occupy the full depth of the stage, which can accommodate a full orchestra plus a choir.
In addition, the shell ceilings incorporate a combination of both Lieto™ LED White and RGBW fixtures that help accentuate the performers, provide them with vivid light on stage, and keep the focus on the brilliant acoustics.
Finally, the shell is as intricately beautiful as it is complex. There are many colors on the 3D faces of the shell that match the paint in the interior of the room. The result is a multi-functional shell that produces excellent sound and blends seamlessly into the rest of the room.
“Having worked with Wenger, Theatre Projects and ESa on many installations before, we’ve really grown as a team over time, and advanced ideas and thoughts about how to create these halls,” Todd says. “It’s exciting when it comes together.”
Ready to Roll
Named for retired Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher, the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts was officially dedicated in a special ceremony in September. The first official performance in the hall will be a December filming of the 2021 Christmas at Belmont concert, a massive holiday spectacular featuring nearly 650 student musicians and vocalists that will be broadcast nationally on PBS. Dr. Stephen Eaves, Belmont’s Dean of the College of Music and Performing Arts, says they’re ready. “This new space will help Belmont students reach for higher excellence in the arts,” he says.
Further information from Wenger Corp.: www.wengercorp.com
