The International Academy of Music in Liechtenstein today announced important innovations at a press conference in Nendeln (Liechtenstein) and presented its future headquarters in the Hagenhaus. Remy Franck was there for ICMA.
Whenever the first musical sounds are heard in front of an audience in a concert hall, it is a moment that is as exciting as it is moving. This was also the case at this press conference, which was musically introduced by the excellent Alumni Quartet in the new chamber music hall of the future building of the Academy of Music in Liechtenstein. And although the new hall is not quite finished yet – the wooden floor and various slatted panels are still missing – the sound was already excellent, well balanced and, above all, very natural. It was a more than promising test, especially as the traffic passing by on the main road in the hall was acoustically unnoticeable.
The Alumni Quartet had the honor of testing the acoustics of the hall. (c) Remy Franck
The hall is located in the former barn of the so-called Hagenhaus, a classicist semi-detached house dating back to 1837, which was completely renovated and adapted for the Music Academy. This allowed the historic ensemble to be preserved and revitalized. All the logistics rooms for the concert hall were housed in a newly built so-called Hofhaus, so that the hall can be fully used for the stage and seating. There will be space for 120-140 listeners.
Model of the chamber music hall at the Academy of Music in Liechtenstein
In the main building and the courtyard house, living and sleeping quarters for students and professors will be created with a total of 25 beds, which can be used for the intensive weeks of the master classes.
The Academy’s Board of Trustees, from left to right: Managing and Artistic Director Drazen Domjanic, President Otmar Hasler, Christina Zeller, Jürg Kesselring, Olav Behrens (c) Remy Franck
From 2025, the Discovery Festival will be held in the Academy’s concert hall, based on the Discovery Award organized in collaboration with the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA). The festival will be the successor to the Next Generation Festival previously organized in Bad Ragaz.
Two concert grand pianos are already available for future concerts from summer 2024, a Steinway D-274, which was built for Grigori Sokolov and was ultimately not purchased by him, and a Bösendorfer Concert Grand 280VC.
