The underground choir loft at the remodeled Jacobs Music Center.

After decades of limping along with concert venues based on old movie theaters and whatever the Civic Theatre is based on, San Diego now has a world-class classical music hall. For the past three years, Copley Symphony Hall has been undergoing a $120 million transformation into The Jacobs Music Center. The project was conceived when San Diego Symphony music director Rafael Payare met with billionaire philanthropist Irwin Jacobs. In the course of their conversation, Jacobs asked Payare what he wanted for the concert hall. Payare shared a few ideas, but Jacobs encouraged him to share his ultimate vision. Payare then shared what amounted to an Apollo Project for the venue, and Jacobs made it happen.

The refurbishment went far beyond what anyone was expecting. Built in 1929, The Fox Theater was a grand movie palace with 2876 seats. There were no existing blueprints. Laser measurements were taken to create a makeshift blueprint upon which to base the renovations. As demolition progressed, the theater began to reveal its deepest darkest secrets. Extensive structural improvements were required, in addition to a completely revamp of the acoustics and seating pattern. The original seating layout was based on the audience looking at a flat screen. The new seating is based on the audience directing its attention to a three-dimensional stage with an orchestra.

The original acoustic of the hall bounced sound off the back walls, creating issues for the musicians on stage. Acoustical stopgap measures were taken to make the walls absorb sound, but it was just that — a stopgap. The new hall disperses the sound with complex acoustical structures, structures that are hidden by an acoustically neutral cover that lines the walls. The cover is very much like the metallic mesh covering a microphone.

One of the major renovation projects was the creation of a permanent choral loft. The loft needed to be created without diminishing the size of the stage. The problem was that the stage’s back wall was also the building’s back wall, with 8th Avenue on the other side. The solution was to hollow out a space under the 8th Ave sidewalk for the loft. This feature is a testament to the designers’ dedication to the project. They could have settled for something less ideal from an artistic perspective, but a solution was found that supported the vision of Payare and Jacobs. The choral loft has room for about 80 choristers and will be put to the test on October 4, 5, and 6 with Gustav Mahler’s colossal Symphony No. 2. Mahler envisions the resurrection of the entire world, which calls for a rather large chorus.

I have been able to attend a rehearsal at the new Jacobs Music Center, and I was blown away by the expansive quality of the acoustic. The dispersion of sound creates the illusion of limitless music. Previously, my experience was that the music was being created over there on the stage, and I could hear it. Now the music is all-encompassing, as if the audience is on the stage with the orchestra. Everyone gets an ideal seat at The Jacobs Music Center.