Placido Domingo:
“House of Music, Hungary’s noble mission to bring the miracle of classical music closer to the younger generations. The classical music will win the hearts of youth thans to the commitment of the House of Music, Hungary. ”
But not just classical music, because the mission of the House of Music is to provide the widest possible range of genres without borders. It considers it a priority to provide a forum for young musical talents and to support individual voices, unique performances, non-mainstream productions.
With its diverse range of programs, it reveals countless musical experiences to visitors, be it an exhibition, a concert, playing music or singing together, dancing, exciting music education workshops or lecture courses.
The House of Music was implemented as one of the elements of the “Liget Budapest Project”, the largest cultural initiative of Europe.
The goals set by the professional working group – the trio of exhibition, live music and music pedagogy – a suitable unique, organic building designed by Sou Fujimoto of Japan.
“While most concert halls are closed boxes, I dreamed open spaces” – said Sou Fujimoto.
The Japanese architect placed the exhibition space, the past, below ground level.
The permanent exhibition on the history of music guides visitors through the development of music, who can get acquainted with the birth, history and physics of music through interactive and spectacular technical solutions. This will be complemented by various thematic temporary exhibitions in the future.
On the same level is the so-called sound dome. This is a dome-cupole, that emits sounds and is also a projection screen (behind this is a sound system). Here the sounding world evokes, from the sounds of nature to the composed music. Moreover, the experience goes beyond even this dimension. A laboratory producting new sounds, unforeseeable potential.
The ground floor belongs to the live music, the present. Here is the special glass-walled concert hall. The glass wall was a major challenge for the acoustics experts, but the solution finally adopted – breaking the flat surface of the glass – at any point in the hall, provides a special experience for listeners.
A reflection of the boundlessness of the music is that the building itself is visually “boundless”: from its surroundings is bounded by glass walls made of panels up to 4 storeys (12-13 meters) high, and the roof opens to the sky with 100 breakthroughs.
On this level, next to the building, there is an outdoor stage and a music playground.
In the playground, visitors can elicit sounds, melodies and rhythms from various drums, musical cushions placed in the cover, column bells, or foot-operated whistles.
The third, upstairs level is for the future. Here are located the music education rooms, as well as the multimedia library and club, where screenings and lectures also can be held.
The range of games that can be used in the House of Music to give an experience to children is extremely wide: from the instrument laboratory and the possibilities provided by instrument-making workshops to composing, conducting, drawing music, singing and making music together, or the mini dance house.