Montgomery County, MD
The Music Center at Strathmore
Project
The Music Center at Strathmore
Client
Montgomery County, MD
Location
North Bethesda, MD
Completion
2004
Size
190,000 GSF
Category
The Arts
Partner Firm
Grimm + Parker Architects
This 2,000-seat Concert Hall and Educational Facility serves as the second home for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, as well as a venue for local orchestras and popular artists. Several community arts organizations share the Educational Facility, including the Montgomery County Youth Orchestra, Masterworks Chorus, and the Summer Performing Arts Institute. The Music Center celebrates its important cultural and civic role by its memorable building form and its strong connection to an extraordinary park-like setting. The interiors of wood and bronze grills combined with lighting create a warm and crisp aesthetic, part of the goal of making the Hall feel accessible and open to all.
Architecturally, the Strathmore room is on a par with the best new concert halls in the United States.
The Washington Post, Benjamin Forgey, “Strathmore’s Hidden Assets”
MUSIC CENTER PERFORMANCES
The concert hall serves as an educational space as well, engaging young musicians and learners
Concert Hall accommodates music, dance, and theatre performance like this performance by Strathmore's educational partner CityDance
Young Artists of America performance of Les Miserables
Rufus Wainwright Concert
Orchestral performance for school field trip to Strathmore
Family dance classes in one of the education wing's dance studios
Percussion class with Levine School of Music in educational wing
Awards + Recognition
2016 Montgomery County Planning Department Design Excellence Citation
2007 Prague Quadrennial Selected for Music Facilities Exhibition
2006 BSA Interior Architecture/Interior Design Award
2005 AIA Maryland Design Award Honor Award
2005 AIA Northern Virginia Institutional Excellence Award
2005 BSA Design Excellence Honor Award
2005 AIA Potomac Valley Merit Award
The Washingtonian, "Sound and Glory," Stephen Wigler, Feb 1, 2005.
The Baltimore Sun, "Sound Design," Edward Gunts, Jan 30, 2005.
The Baltimore Sun, "Encore Performance," Edward Gunts, Jan 31, 2005.
The Wall Street Journal, "Will a Suburban Outpost Save the Symphony?," Barbara Jepson, Mar 9, 2005.
The New York Times, "The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Expands its Territory," Daniel Wakin, Feb 7, 2005.
Project Consultants
Structural Engineer | LeMessurier Consultants, Inc.
Mechanical / Electrical Engineer | TMP Consulting Engineers, Inc.
Civil Engineer | A. Morton Thomas + Associates
Landscape Architects | Lousie Schiller Associates, LDR International
Interior Design | Lab [3.2] Architecture
Lighting Consultant | Fisher Marantz Stone
Theater Consultant | Theatre Projects Consultants, Inc.
Acoustical Engineer | Kirkegaard Associates
Photographer | Alan Karchmer, Jim Saah, Michael Stewart, Paul Gordon Emerson, Ron Solomon + Strathmore Website