Mayor of Charleston Announces Dedication for Gaillard Center
May 14, 2015
CHARLESTON, SC – Calling it the city’s “building for the future and future generations,” Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. invites the public to attend a Dedication Ceremony on October 9, 2015 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM to celebrate the completion of the Gaillard Center. The Center includes a renovated Exhibition Hall, new City Offices and the centerpiece of the Gaillard Center, the world-class Martha & John Rivers Performance Hall.
Mayor Riley said it is now time to invite residents to see the much anticipated Gaillard Center. He said, “I am excited for our citizens to experience the new Gaillard Center. I know that they will love and appreciate the grandeur and exquisite detail of the building. This is an exceptional new public building which reflects Charleston and our appreciation for the arts and fine architecture.”
The critical final detail which follows substantial completion of the building for the Gaillard Center is the acoustical tuning for the Performance Hall. The process of tuning a performance space traditionally involves adjustment of movable acoustic elements (reflector panels, variable absorption curtains, etc.) to optimize the sound quality heard by the audience and performers. The process is exacting and must be done before the hall is in consistent use. The tuning will allow the performance hall to offer the highest possible acoustics rating. The two month procedure will be done during August and September.
The day of the opening will begin with an official Dedication by Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. and other officials. Residents will have an opportunity after the dedication to discover Gaillard Center with tours of the exhibition hall, public spaces and the performance hall
The first public performance in the performance hall will be on Sunday, October 18. There will be a series of other concerts the following week to be announced by The Gaillard Management Corporation (non-profit operating arm of Gaillard Center).
The original Gaillard Auditorium opened in 1968 and had served the community well. Riley said, “Our goal, with the extraordinary help from a remarkable public private partnership, was to create one of the nation’s finest performance halls and a building that fit more contextually with its surrounding neighborhood. We have done that and have added an outstanding architectural gem to the City of Charleston.”
