Current use Touring Venue Architect Shirley Harrison Phone +44 116 233 3111 | Years active since 1913 Opened 1913 Owner Leicester City Council | |
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Type concert hall/auditorium Capacity 400-2,200 (auditorium), 250-7000 (amphitheater) Address Granville Rd, Leicester LE1 7RU, UK Similar Curve, Cambridge Corn Exchange, O2 Academy Leicester, Colston Hall, Loughborough Town Hall Profiles | ||
The human league mirror man 28th november 2014 leicester de montfort hall
De Montfort Hall is a music and performance venue located in Leicester, England. It is situated adjacent to Victoria Park and is named after Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester.
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History
The Hall was built by the Corporation of Leicester in the early 20th century, and was finished in 1913 costing £21,000. The architect was Shirley Harrison (1876–1961) son of Stockdale Harrison, architect of Vaughan College.
Its indoor auditorium seating capacity is approximately 2000, and the hall contains a restored pipe organ believed to be the only surviving example of a large concert organ constructed by the Leicester organ builders, Stephen Taylor & Son Ltd, in 1914. The pipe organ is a particularly fine example and comprises 6000 pipes, attracting many distinguished organists to play recitals. In the 2014 the pipe organ was estimated to be worth over five million GBP.
The hall features in Grey Owl (film) in a real life reenactment of director Richard Attenborough and his brother David Attenborough's boyhood attendance of a wildlife lecture.
Notable events
Most of the Hall's events take place in the indoor auditorium where the programme of events ranges from jazz, ballet, comedy and opera, to world and roots music, West End musicals and classical music, featuring the world famous Philharmonia Orchestra, which was set up by EMI and has been resident at the hall since 1997. The hall is said by the orchestra to be one of the best spaces in which to play music in England.
The Hall is also a common venue for the Leicester Philharmonic Choir, the Leicester Symphony Orchestra, the Bardi Symphony Orchestra and Bands which have performed several concerts there in the past.
It is also one of the major venues in Leicester to hold the Hindu festival of Navratri, selling out of tickets every year.
Events take place outdoors, including The Big Session Festival and the Summer Sundae music festival, took place every year until 2012.
Graduation ceremonies for the University of Leicester take place in the hall. De Montfort University have since moved their graduation ceremonies to the Curve (theatre)
Progressive rock group Genesis recorded the majority of their 1973 release Genesis Live at the Hall.
Neo-progressive rock group Marillion recorded part of their first live album Real to Reel at De Montfort Hall, along with other live performances recorded or otherwise.
In the 1990s Leicester City Council took De Montfort Hall off the gig circuit
In 2011, a tribute for Sir Norman Wisdom was held at the venue, raising money for the Roy Castle Fund. The charitable event also raised funds for Grand Order of Water Rats, of which Wisdom was a member, and featured notable appearances from members Bruce Jones, Nicholas Parsons, Johnny Mans, Rick Wakeman and Jess Conrad.