Brno Conservatory - concert hall

The construction of the concert shell and the overall auditorium envelope, along with the implementation of acoustic measures in the concert hall and adjoining spaces, became an integral part of the Brno Conservatory.

To mark its centenary, the Brno Conservatory gained a new concert hall designed by Ing. Marie Blažkeová. Named after the school’s founder Leoš Janáček, the hall features modern equipment and a sloped auditorium. It is specifically designed for educational purposes, with acoustics optimised to coordinate both auditory and visual perception, making it ideal for ensemble work and immediate monitoring of performers—a clear pedagogical advantage.

The original teaching institute was the first building on Alejní třída (Kpt. Jaroš Street). This two-storey corner structure, built between 1870–72, is a neo-Renaissance tribute to Palladian architecture, with imitation stonework at the base (“rustication”), corner risalites, and semicircular windows framed with rusticated detailing. The corner is crowned by an attic structure with two pegasuses supporting a heraldic shield. A staircase hall extends from the entrance vestibule, with corridors opening onto the courtyard and classrooms and offices facing the street. Architects Josef Kühn and Franz Kraus, among others, also designed the main post office on the same street. The German teaching institute was closed after World War I, and from 1919 the building continued as the Conservatory, continuing the tradition of Janáček’s organ school, training thousands of graduates including notable artists such as Rudolf Firkušný, Karel Höger, and Igor Ardašev.

The previous hall was in poor technical condition, making simple renovation impossible. The new auditorium envelope and concert shell are highly three-dimensionally structured and complex in form, reflecting the high standards of professionalism and quality required. The shell is constructed with dense plaster structures, with additional profiling on the side walls using plaster diffusion elements. The auditorium seating and acoustic treatment of interconnected spaces were carefully calibrated and adjusted based on a series of acoustic measurements on-site and in the laboratory, following project documentation prepared by the project acoustician Ing. Michael Plachý. This uniquely shaped concert shell was delivered with excellent internal environmental quality, precise acoustic performance, and compliance with reverberation time standards.

Today, the Conservatory teaches all orchestral instruments, guitar, accordion, cimbalom, and recorder, as well as composition, conducting, and singing. The school also provides education in musical theatre and music management.