Mount Paran Christian School

The Murray Arts Center

… academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment …

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First Floor
It's all about learning

The first floor of the Murray Arts Center can be easily split into three very distinct sections: choral, instrumental, and backstage. Though some of the larger rooms can double as performance spaces for small music recitals, the first floor is primarily dedicated to the art of education and rehearsing.

Most of the spaces on the first floor are completely soundproof. Each wall contains a space-invading six sheets of sheet rock anchored to a series of steel beam supports with concrete foundations that, at the time of construction, were poured individually (each room, each hallway) to prevent even a sound wave of vibration to escape. The ceiling tiles themselves have been installed to hang on a grid not attached to the walls but to the insulated ceiling above it, making each room, literally, "a box within a box."

To contain the sound even further, most of the rehearsal spaces are equipped with sound diffusers and absorbers. You'll notice in addition to the standard issue fabric sound panels, a grooved wooden material called "flutter free" aligns the walls (a material traditionally used only theater spaces), while the ceiling is adorned with what appears to be an upside-down cityscapes, aptly named "skylines."

Ensemble rooms are "recorder ready," wired to record any rehearsal or recital that may take place, which can be controlled and mixed in each room's individual control panel or in the main studio. Most of the classroom spaces and larger rehearsal spaces are also equipped with built-in projectors and screens capable of playing anything from a DVD to PowerPoint displays for classroom instruction.

Each room contains either an upright Yamaha piano, electric Clavanova piano, or, in the piano studio, a nine-foot Yamaha grand piano, which is an exact replica of the nine-foot Yamaha grand that lives on the stage of the Kristi Lynn Theatre. The purpose of the identical pianos is to allow the pianist to practice and perform on the exact same piano (same sound, same weight of keys, same pedal control) to enhance further his or her performance by eliminating any differences between pianos.

Backstage areas of the first floor contain space for every costume, set item, and performer alike before, during, and after each performance. Since the dressing room spaces are a floor beneath the theater and completely sound proof, plasma screens have been placed in the backstage area and display a live video feed of the performance on the stage to give performers their cue to enter and exit the stage. Installed, too, is an intercom system for the stage manager to efficiently command cues as well.

The loading dock and areas within are oversized and easy to bring into the facility set items or musical equipment with ease, with instant access to the stage above either by a lofty 12' X 6' freight elevator or hydraulic orchestra pit that rises from loading dock level to stage level with the push of a single button.

Learn about the second floor of the Murray Arts Center. >>