The next class without Professor Hinders was a actually a great one (not because he was gone -- we just got to witness a very cool building on campus!) Despite not being graced with his presence, we were able to take a very insightful and informational tour of the Krannert Performing Arts Center over in Urbana. I did not realize truly how large and dominating this structure is. It really stands out and is a center for performance and learning on that side of campus. Our tour guide, who is a PhD student, told us a lot about the makings of the building itself. One thing that really stuck out to me was the wood paneling on the floors near the main entrance. It might seem like something that could be easily overlooked or deemed unimportant, but no architectural corners were cut in the making of this performing arts center. The square wood paneling on the floor is meant to look like the landscape of Illinois, like miles of cornfields or wheat fields. It actually resonated with me that they would put that much effort into such a small detail.
The other thing I wanted to touch on was the great hall itself. I believe it is called the Foellinger Great Hall (totally not confusing) and I did not realize how big it was until we were taken in there for the first time. There are no right angles in the entire concert hall. I didn't believe it at first, but I checked. No right angles. The purpose of this was to create a perfectly acoustic space, and I think they accomplished that. Also, the chairs have special material. It is supposed to mimic the consistency of a human….I know that sounds kind of weird, but it would make sense if I had taken a picture of the chair or you could feel it. Anyway, I digress. Finally, the hollow stage allows performers to really hear themselves. Overall I was just really impressed with everything I got to see. It was an awesome experience.
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