Weill Hall, Sonoma State University

About

Designed by architect William Rawn, theatre consultant Auerbach Pollock Friedlander and acoustician Lawrence Kirkegaard, Weill Hall was designed to replicate the intimacy and acoustics of both Vienna’s Musikverein and Symphony Hall in Boston.


Weill Hall is modeled after Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood, including a back wall that can be fully opened onto the beautifully landscaped and terraced Weill Lawn.


The 1,400 handcrafted seats within Weill Hall were built by the 200-year-old Fancher Chair Company. Made of European steamed beech wood, the chairs feature an open back designed for acoustic-neutrality whether the seat is occupied or empty. 


Seating in Weill Hall is divided amongst a raked orchestra floor, two upper balconies and a choral ring behind the stage. The third floor balcony boasts spectacular views of the Sonoma Mountains through large windows on the north and east walls. 


The variable acoustics of the hall are acheived through the use of motorized fabric banners on the east and west walls. By adjusting these banners, the hall can be fine-tuned for the specific genre of music being performed - from a single vocalist to a full orchestra setting.