Concordia University Irvine Commissions WSDG for Its Music, Worship, and Theology Building

	Rendering of CUI MWT control and live rooms

Concordia University Irvine (CUI) has engaged global architectural acoustic consulting firm WSDG (Walter-Storyk Design Group) of New York to design the professional recording studio in its new Music, Worship & Theology (MWT) building. The MWT building -- the first building in CUI's master plan -- will serve as the intersection of musical tradition and theological foundation, values core to the Lutheran faith.

"Music education has been a relevant pursuit for hundreds of years, and it's only gaining steam as we better understand its value for culture," said assistant dean, school of arts and sciences at Concordia University Irvine Jeff Held, D.M.A. "These new, modernized facilities will be some of the best in Southern California, helping Concordia to remain a leader in music education."

The 1,110-sq.-ft. recording studio will be used as a recording, teaching, and rehearsal space. Given Concordia's proximity to the Los Angeles music industry, the space will provide a venue for students, professors, and artists to collaborate in facilities that meet the music industry's standards. Both choral and instrumental ensembles will use the professional recording studio, as will the music department's newest major program -- commercial music. The commercial music major prepares students for careers in musical performance, songwriting, composing for media (TV, film, and gaming) and music production. Concordia's music program offers a bachelor of arts degree for music majors with concentrations in commercial music, composition, church music, instrumental performance, music education, piano performance, and vocal performance.

WSDG project manager, Joshua Morris reports that the firm is also designing the rehearsal hall acoustics in Concordia's new MWT building, and that WSDG systems design engineer, Judy Elliot Brown and project engineer, Kevin Peterson are playing key roles in the project. WSDG has created educational recording complexes for major schools such as NYU and Berklee College of Music. In addition, they have been integral in the creation of acoustic designs for NYC's Jazz at Lincoln Center, Switzerland's Luzern KKL Concert Hall, as well as recording studios for Jimi Hendrix, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, and Bruce Springsteen.

Responsible for the overall design of the approximate 37,500-sq.-ft., three-level Music, Worship & Theology building is Bauer Architects of Newport Beach, California. Bauer Architects, which designed the MWT building as two wings -- the music wing, and Christ College wing, Concordia's School of Theology, connected by a breezeway -- is noted for its user and environmentally responsible designs of performance venues, museums, and cultural centers, universities, and corporate and civic facilities.

Irvine-based master builder Snyder Langston will complete construction of the Music, Worship & Theology building at Concordia University Irvine. Credits for the general contractor include the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove, and broadcast studios for NBC, CBS and FOX. "Snyder Langston is honored to be part of this exciting project that will improve the resources provided to Concordia students, as well as music artists throughout Orange County," said Snyder Langston president John Rochford.

During the pre-construction process, WSDG staff has been collaborating with Concordia University Irvine's construction team and music department faculty. WSDG design engineers are using acoustic modeling measurement and instrumentation tests and programs to predict and pre-tune individual room acoustics and auralization throughout the building.

"Concordia University Irvine's new audio education and production complex will be a showplace facility fully designed to facilitate real-world training," said WSDG founding partner John Storyk. "We are extremely pleased to have been selected to help create this recording complex. And, we are confident that it will play an important role in preparing the next generation of educators, musicians, recording artists, and production professionals for 21st century careers."

Scheduled for completion in spring 2019, the Music, Worship & Theology building main floor will house a 2,250-sq.-ft. orchestra hall, a 1,900-sq.-ft. choral rehearsal hall, a percussion room, and a piano instruction room. The lower floor will feature a 1,110-sq.-ft. live recording room with three isolation (ISO) booths, a control room, classrooms, an open office suite, faculty offices, an event space, and conference and breakout rooms. The studio will be tied into the orchestral and choral rehearsal rooms, allowing multiple ensembles to record simultaneously. The top floor will accommodate practice rooms, and faculty studios for special practice and instructional tutorials. The MWT, estimated to cost $30 million, will be funded by private donations.