Jacoby Symphony Hall
In 1997, Jacoby Symphony Hall at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts first opened to the community. It is recognized as an exceptional symphony hall designed for orchestral performances that seats 1,800 attendees. It is also included among a narrow list of American orchestras with their own dedicated concert hall.
Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall
At the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts
Design Team
KBJ Architects, Rothman, Rothman & Heineman architects and acclaimed acousticians with Kirkegaard & Associates designed the colossal venue that Jacksonville Symphony musicians and patrons call home.
Classic Design
Jacoby Symphony Hall is constructed in a “shoebox” shape, a design seen in classic European concert halls and those in our own country like Boston’s venerable Symphony Hall. The design allows the sound to come alive with a resonant warmth and richness by reflecting, sustaining and distributing symphonic tones from the front of the stage all the way to the back of the Hall.
Behind the Scenes
Before every concert, musicians unpack their instrument lockers and get show-ready in the spacious backstage musicians’ lounge. Right down the hall is the Klacsmann Music Library—a true time capsule that holds treasured memories of the Symphony’s past. Customized with moveable shelving, the library contains orchestral scores performed by the Symphony, photographs and other keepsakes of the Symphony’s long and robust history.
The Bryan Concert Organ
The heart of Jacoby Symphony Hall, the Bryan Concert Organ reflects the Jacksonville Symphony’s initiative to be the first American orchestra to install a rebuilt, historic organ in a new concert hall. Originally known as the Casavant Opus 553, the organ was first built in 1914 with four manuals, 63 stops and 70 ranks for the First Baptist Church of Syracuse, New York. Transported from its original home, the organ had to be rebuilt and installed by Quimby Pipe Organs, Inc., which took three years to complete.
After its restoration, the instrument now has 97 ranks, 80 stops, 6,215 pipes and weighs nearly 20 tons! In February 2005, the organ was officially named the Bryan Concert Organ as a dedication to the Bryan family and their long commitment to the Jacksonville Symphony. Since then, dynamic artists have showcased riveting performances designed to highlight the organ’s versatile musical power as its mighty melodies shake all of Jacoby Symphony Hall.
After its restoration, the instrument now has 97 ranks, 80 stops, 6,215 pipes and weighs nearly 20 tons! In February 2005, the organ was officially named the Bryan Concert Organ as a dedication to the Bryan family and their long commitment to the Jacksonville Symphony. Since then, dynamic artists have showcased riveting performances designed to highlight the organ’s versatile musical power as its mighty melodies shake all of Jacoby Symphony Hall.
The Concert Organ Series
Experience the Bryan Concert Organ within the intimate, powerful and versatile Concert Organ Series. Each season this one-of-a-kind series features Curator Greg Zelek, guest organists and Musicians of the Jacksonville Symphony.
Special thanks to JF Bryan for sponsoring The Concert Organ Series.
Reviews from Guest Artists
“Jacoby Symphony Hall is one of the loveliest in the United States. It is the most wonderful size; it has sensational acoustics and is absolutely lovely to look at. What more could you ask?”Frederica von Stade
“This is for me one of the greatest surprises of the last 10 years, to see the quality of this orchestra and this wonderful new hall."Philippe Entremont
“From the moment I stepped onto the stage and heard the sound of my shoes on the stage floor, I knew this was a unique place… Making music on this stage is a privilege and a joy.”Andrew Appel
