Jarvis Conservatory is housed in the historic Lisbon Winery building, originally built in 1880. The shoebox shape and massive sandstone walls of the original building lend itself perfectly to the requirements for excellent music acoustics. All additional constructions required to support the building’s new use were carefully selected to support the warmth, richness and excitement of live music performance.

A series of retractable sound absorbing draperies was incorporated into the structure to allow customization of the amount of natural liveness to best suit the music being presented. Special sound seals and acoustical glazing allow the audience to appreciate the original qualities of the building without being distracted by intrusive noise from outside and other areas within the facility. The special isolation details employed also allow the performance space to double as a recording venue.

The HVAC systems were designed to operate silently. These systems can even be left running during recording sessions.

The orchestra pit—designed to accommodate up to a 30 piece orchestra—has also been equipped with adjustable draperies to allow for local adjustment of the acoustical environment.

The facility also contains music studios for instrumental and vocal practice. These studios were built with special “room-in-room” isolation techniques to allow simultaneous use with minimal intrusion from adjacent spaces.