Plans were unveiled yesterday for a proposed development of the London Symphony’s St Luke’s facilities in East London, building on its 20-year history as a major center for recording, live performance and the education programs.
The new development will enable advanced sound and vision recording facilities, reflecting a revolution in recording technology since LSO St Luke’s first opened in 2004. New spaces will be opened up for the LSO’s comprehensive education and community programmes . Alongside these the unique space of the concert hall will be upgraded with advanced sound control and lighting. Levitt Bernstein, architects of the award-winning transformation of St Luke’s church in 2003, will carry out the new work, which will begin in early 2025.
Commenting on the plans, Kathryn McDowell, Managing Director of the London Symphony Orchestra, said: ‘This investment reflects our determination to maintain our world leading position in every area of our work, making a contribution to London as a global centre for the music industry. Evolving the technological capabilities of LSO St Luke’s means this uniquely multipurpose building can transition effortlessly between
music making, learning and community initiatives, digital, filming and recording projects to a creative laboratory for artist and composer development, orchestral or chamber rehearsals and concerts.’
At the same time, the £2.5 million LSO Helen Hamlyn Endowment for early career composers was announced. The endowment will sustain and develop the LSO Panufnik Composers Scheme and will be renamed the LSO Helen Hamlyn Panufnik Scheme.
