the music in any exhibit, and the spacing of
the 220,000 tiles on the walls is intentional
to absorb sound. The terracotta tiles were
individually handmade in Germany and glazed
in Holland by a family-owned company with
a custom colour, and each one was handhung on the interior and exterior walls. The
tiles change from rust to a platinum colour
in the sun (outside as well as inside, as there
are lots of windows and skylights for natural
lighting). The Skybridge that connects the
East and West sides of its nine interlocking
towers is a +65 pedway — a nod to Calgary’s
famous +15 pedway system. Above the pedway
is a public art project called Solar Drones by
Patrick Marold. Sixteen solar panel-powered
vessels made from the soundboards of pianos
emit acoustic sounds throughout the day that
change based on the location of the sun. When
you’re up there, have a listen — and a look!
While the building itself can be “played” there
is also a 300-seat concert hall with mahogany
wood walls, steel ceiling art, and a sliding door
that allows for either a more intimate or open
air feel.
On the resource side, NMC has also started an
artist-in-residence program and invites artists
to inquire about performing and producing
music in the space. There are also a number of
“people are
so fascinated
by Canada and
its music”
Visitor
Information
feature galleries to house rotating and touring
exhibitions. In October 2016, internationally
acclaimed artists Tegan and Sara returned
to their hometown of Calgary to perform
in the NMC’s concert hall as part of the ATB
Storytellers concert series and open up the
inaugral ATB Storytellers exhibit.
“Having a place where [the experience of
Canadian music] is on display for everyone is
really remarkable,” says Tegan Quin. “We travel
internationally so much and people are so
fascinated by Canada and its music and the
arts and the support
in the community,”
says Sara Quin.
Another feature
exhibit, the Showcase
exhibit, has “Life is
a Highway” singer
Tom Cochrane as its
inagural focus until
April 30, 2017. Also
be sure to check out
Tom Cochrane’s name
in the Canadian
Music Hall of Fame,
which finally has a
physical presence in
the National Music
Centre. “We needed
a bricks and mortar
hall of fame, and
this is far superior to
that,” Cochrane says.
“This building is a real
testament to how
seriously Albertans
take [music]. We
finally have a place
to celebrate [stories
of Canadian music].
I hope people from
around the world
can come here and
that they can look
at Canada and see
why we’re so proud
of what we have and
what we’ve given to
the world.”
HOURS: Open 10 am - 5 pm
Wednesday through Sunday
ADMISSION: $18 per adult; $14
per student or senior; $11 per child
(ages 3-12); children 2 and under are
free; individual and family annual
memberships are also available.
LOCATION: 850 - 4 St SE, 403-543-5115
TRANSIT: City Hall C-Train stations;
Buses 1, 305, 411, 412
PARKING: Paid and free street parking
in East Village
(Clockwise from top)
The concert hall;
interactive activities;
Tegan and Sara Quin
in Studio Bell
THE ESSENTIAL CALGARY 2016/17
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