University of Liverpool launches Tung Auditorium

Liverpool’s newest concert hall, the Tung Auditorium, launched last week. Liverpool-born pianist Paul Lewis, will headline the venue’s first season next month, performing on the Steinway D grand piano that he personally selected for the concert hall.

The venue seats an audience of 400 within an acoustically optimised, flexible performance space capable of staging a wide variety of performers, from a 70-piece orchestra to a chamber ensemble to multi-media work.

Richard Hartwell, the new auditorium’s artistic director, said: ‘We’ve got a real Liverpool and North West focus over the next few months, and it’s fantastic that within the programme we already have several co-promotions with prestigious local organisations, from the Liverpool Philharmonic, to Milap and Parrjazz.’

The programme opened last week with the University’s free Lunchtime Concert series, and evening shows will begin on March 5, with a free performance from UK-based ensemble, Distractfold, which combines performers, composers and curators

The auditorium was designed by local architects Ellis Williams with acoustic specification from Arup which included adjustable acoustics which will allow it to accommodate a wide variety of jazz, folk, pop, electro-acoustic and experimental music too.

Professor Catherine Tackley, head of the University of Liverpool’s Department of Music, said: ‘We are proud to be involving students in all aspects of the venue, not only as performers and composers, but also as technicians, and in artistic planning and production.’

Situated within the University of Liverpool’s Yoko Ono Lennon Centre, the Tung Auditorium will be used for teaching, but it will also be the home of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s contemporary music group, Ensemble 10/10.

You can find out more about the Tung Auditorium here.