Leo Beranek and concert hall acoustics

Abstract

Dr. Leo Beranek’s pioneering concert hall research and project work has left an indelible impression on the study and practice of concert hall design. Working as both scientist and practitioner simultaneously for most of his 60 + years in the industry, his accomplishments include dozens of published papers on concert hall acoustics, several seminal books on the subject, and consulting credit for numerous important performance spaces. This paper will briefly outline a few of his key contributions to the field of concert hall acoustics (including his work regarding audience absorption, the loudness parameter G, the system of concert hall metrics and ratings that he developed, and other contributions), his project work (including the Tanglewood shed, Philharmonic Hall, Tokyo Opera City concert hall, and others), and his role as an inspiration for other leaders in the field. His work serves as the basis, the framework, the inspiration, or the jumping-off point for a great deal of current concert hall research, as evidenced by the extraordinarily high frequency with which his work is cited; this paper will conclude with some brief remarks on the future of concert hall research that will build on Dr. Beranek’s extraordinary career.