7 reasons to love Canada’s new National

Music Centre
Calgary is home to the stunning new National Music Centre and here are
seven reasons why you should visit.

CALGARY, ALTA. - “Canada’s music deserves a beautiful home,” declares National

Music Centre president and CEO Andrew Mosker. You can see his quote on the wall of
the stunning new centre that opened on Canada Day. Here’s what to love about this
cultural attraction:

The building: Anchoring Calgary’s new East Village neighbourhood, the $191-million
“Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre” was designed by Brad Cloepfil of Allied
Works Architecture. Bell paid $10 million for naming rights for 12 years. The 160,000
square-foot centre boasts five storeys across nine interlocking towers and integrates a
restored 1905 King Edward Hotel. The centre celebrates music in Canada — not just
Canadian music.

The design: The dramatic curved design references musical instruments and the
mountains and hoodoos of Western Canada. Natural light lets you catch great views and
admire glazed terra-cotta tiles in metallic and earthen colours. The public east block that
houses the exhibition space and performance hall is expected to draw 150,000 visitors a
year. The private west block has artist-in-residence spaces, classrooms, a radio station,
recording studios and media centre. Don’t miss Patrick Marold’sSolar Drones audio
project in the East Village Skybridge that connects the towers — and be sure to spend
time taking the stairs to admire the internal and external views.

The live music: The 300-seat performance space has a movable acoustic wall so it can
be intimate or opened to the lobby below. You might luck into live music in the lobby or
at the massive organ, but failing that grab a coffee at Rosso Coffee Roasters and know
that new music is being incubated through an artists-in-residence program. Watch for
shows at the King Eddy, the centre’s biggest artifact and legendary blues club that
reopened briefly after a heritage restoration with popup concerts during the Calgary
Stampede.

The Canadiana: I toured the centre the day the Tragically Hip was in Calgary and
gravitated to several spots that honoured the iconic Canadian band. (So, apparently, did
the band the day before.) Exhibition galleries are called “stages” to promote a music-
festival vibe. The Canadian Music Halls of Fame (three of them) are here, as well as a
salute to our best music venues. Spend time admiring the instruments, artifacts and
memorabilia, such as Corey Hart’s iconic Ray-Bans, Avril Lavigne’s guitar from
the Girlfriend video, Alanis Morissette’s signed harmonica and Randy
Bachman’s American Woman guitar.

The music royalty: I did two sweeps of the centre yet missed the Rolling Stones
Mobile Recording Studio that was used to record albums (yes, albums) by Led Zeppelin,
Deep Purple and the Stones. Turns out you must view it through a large window beside
the King Eddy, though there may be special tours. I did see TONTO, the world’s largest
analog synthesizers used to record Stevie Wonder and Isley Brothers’ albums. And I saw
John Leimseider, the centre’s head electronics technician and ex-keyboard player for
Iron Butterfly, working on them.

The chance to have your say: The centre celebrates the power of music, not just
actual music. Take selfies with life-size wall-mounted photos of stars, such as Joel
Plaskett. In one room, you are asked whether music can change the world and you
scrawl your answer on a sticky note. In the Sandbox, you’re supposed to “think it, make
it, play it,” and an interpreter encourages you to touch and play with anything you like.
If you break it, they like to say, you’re doing something right. “A day without music is a
mistake,” someone writes on the erasable board.

The musical lessons: It’s all about interaction at this arts and technology hub. You
can play the guitar, piano and drums, mix a track or sing along in a vocal booth. Who
knows what budding musicians will be inspired by the National Music Centre. “There’s
something we’re doing really right for music in Canada,” says Mary Kapusta, the centre’s
senior manger of marketing and communications, “and it’s good to wave that flag a little
bit.” Plan your visit at studiobell.ca and nmc.ca.

Source: https://www.thestar.com/life/travel/2016/09/08/7-reasons-to-love-canadas-new-national-music-
centre.html