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| Jacqueline du Pré Music Building | |
|---|---|
| Name | Jacqueline du Pré Music Building |
| Location | Oxford |
| Established | 1995 |
| Architect | Richard Meier |
| Owner | University of Oxford |
| Type | Music faculty building |
Jacqueline du Pré Music Building is a performance and teaching facility associated with the University of Oxford, located near Christ Church, Oxford and the River Cherwell. The building serves as a hub for instrumental study, chamber music, orchestral rehearsal and recital activity drawing students and faculty from the Faculty of Music, University of Oxford, conservatoires, and visiting artists from institutions such as the Royal College of Music, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Royal Academy of Music, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. It is named in honour of the cellist Jacqueline du Pré and offers spaces used by ensembles including the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, the Oxford University Orchestra, the Schola Cantorum of Oxford, and the Oxford Lieder Festival.
The project emerged in the late 20th century amid debates involving the University Grants Committee, the Heritage Lottery Fund, private benefactors, and college stakeholders including St Hilda's College, Oxford and Worcester College, Oxford. Ground was broken after consultations with cultural figures such as Dame Janet Baker, Sir Colin Davis, and administrators tied to the Oxford Music Faculty Board. Funding appeals referenced legacies connected to Dame Myra Hess and contemporary patrons like Lord Menuhin and foundations associated with Dame Jacqueline du Pré's family and prominent philanthropists whose names appear alongside grants awarded by the Arts Council England and trusts linked to The Radcliffe Trust. The opening concert featured performers linked to Sir Yehudi Menuhin, Mstislav Rostropovich, and faculty from the Royal Northern College of Music.
The exterior and acoustic design reflect influences debated among architects who had worked on projects like the Royal Festival Hall, Barbican Centre, and Wigmore Hall. Acoustic consultants with prior associations to venues such as Carnegie Hall, Concertgebouw, and the Sydney Opera House advised on materials and hall proportions. The design integrates references to local Oxford landmarks including Magdalen College, All Souls College, and the Sheldonian Theatre, while aiming to mediate between historic context and contemporary forms similar to work by Norman Foster and Richard Rogers. Structural engineers who previously collaborated on projects for St Martin-in-the-Fields and King's College Chapel, Cambridge contributed to the load-bearing configurations and the implementation of adjustable acoustic elements.
The building houses a main concert hall used by chamber groups, soloists, and orchestras associated with ensembles including the Oxford Chamber Choir, New College Choir, and Christ Church Cathedral Choir; practice rooms used by students connected to the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama; tutorial seminar rooms facilitating links with the Faculty of Music, University of Oxford and visiting professors from institutions like King's College London and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance; and dedicated spaces for instrument maintenance formerly frequented by luthiers who have worked with artists such as Pablo Casals and Jacqueline du Pré. The layout includes rehearsal studios accommodating groups affiliated with the Oxford University Jazz Society, ensembles tied to the Oxford Philharmonia Society, and broadcast-ready facilities for collaborations with broadcasters like the BBC Proms and Classic FM.
Academic activity within the venue supports undergraduate and postgraduate instruction alongside performance fellowships linked to the Kohn Foundation, visiting chairs including holders of posts honoring Edward Heath and Sir John Tavener, and masterclasses by artists associated with the Juilliard School, Curtis Institute of Music, and Moscow Conservatory. Performance programming includes residencies by ensembles such as the Almeida Ensemble, educational outreach partnerships with the Local Education Authority and organisations like Music Education Council and collaborative projects with the Oxford University Press music department. The building hosts competitions and scholarship programs akin to those run by the Menuhin Competition, the BBC Young Musician scheme, and campus festivals comparable to the Oxford International Summer School.
Since its opening, the venue has presented premieres and commissions by composers affiliated with institutions such as Royal College of Music composers, visiting academics from University of Cambridge Faculty of Music, and contemporary figures like Thomas Adès, George Benjamin, and Oliver Knussen. It has staged commemorative concerts honoring figures like Benjamin Britten, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Sir Michael Tippett and hosted talks and interviews with performers linked to Sir Simon Rattle, Gustav Leonhardt, and Angela Hewitt. The building has been a site for cross-disciplinary events involving scholars from the Ashmolean Museum, curators from the British Museum, and visiting fellows from the Bodleian Libraries.
The dedication celebrates the legacy of Jacqueline du Pré and her contribution to cellistic repertoire exemplified by associations with works by Edward Elgar, Dimitri Shostakovich, and Camille Saint-Saëns. The naming process involved consultations with du Pré’s contemporaries including Daniel Barenboim, Itzhak Perlman, and supporters in the Musicians' Union. Memorial concerts have drawn artists from the London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, and chamber partners linked to ensembles such as the Alban Berg Ensemble and the Guarneri Quartet.
Accessibility upgrades and conservation-led renovations have been coordinated with disability advisors, local authorities such as the Oxford City Council, and national bodies like Historic England when addressing proximity to listed buildings including Christ Church Meadow boundaries and conservation areas near Pitt Rivers Museum. Technical refurbishments have mirrored work undertaken at venues like Wigmore Hall and Southbank Centre with investments in climate control and acoustic refurbishment advised by consultants linked to the Royal Institute of British Architects and international acoustic bodies.
Category:Buildings and structures in Oxford Category:Music venues in Oxfordshire