Octave 9: A Multi-Sensory Musical Venue for Performance and Education

Octave 9: A New Type of Venue for Music Education and Performance

Octave 9 is a new venue that expands possibilities for how we relate to music and seek to deepen our connections to it. Created as a highly flexible education and performance space, Octave 9 incorporates cutting edge audio and visual technology to establish an immersive multi-sensory musical experience for Seattle Symphony’s music education and community engagement programs.

A Future of Musical Performance and Education

“In this time of virtual reality and questions of whether we need physical environments or digital experiences, Octave 9 is both,” notes Mark Reddington, FAIA, Partner, LMN Architects. With Octave 9, the Seattle Symphony has made a commitment to collaborating with emerging artists who are expanding the definition of musical performance while also making these new technologies accessible to the greater community.

A Multi-Sensory Experience

Octave 9 expands the idea of the black box performance space and turns it into a venue that can truly adapt to the needs of a specific performance or activity. This acoustical experience is achieved through the use of Meyer Sound’s Constellation® Acoustic System, an innovative audio delivery system that allows full flexibility to transform the acoustical experience with electronic systems. Performances will be further enhanced by the visually immersive capabilities of the venue itself.

A Flexible Playground Serving Extensive Uses

The combination of audio with visual and lighting effects turns the venue into a flexible playground serving extensive uses, from a classroom/meeting room to a musical performance space to a visual and auditory immersive and interactive environment. Octave 9 will also serve as an experimental space for artists and composers; a space in which to explore the capabilities of the venue itself as a creative tool for expanding interdisciplinary performance possibilities.

The Octave 9 project is a $6.7 million capital project funded through a combination of public and private funds, spearheaded by a $2 million match from local philanthropists James and Sherry Raisbeck. Support for Octave 9 comes from several organizations, including LMN Architects, Meyer Sound Laboratories, Inc., and more.

Octave 9 is not just a new performance venue for the Symphony, but an exploration into the future of musical performance and education. With its cutting-edge technology and immersive experience, Octave 9 is poised to become a leading venue for music education and performance, expanding the possibilities for how we relate to music and seek to deepen our connections to it.

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