$20 million Snow Concert Hall sets stage for first performance with artistic director, flautist Ana de la Vega and Melbourne Chamber Orchestra

The $20 million music venue at Canberra Grammar School is set to open its doors to the public on Saturday with the first performance in a line-up of international classical and jazz stars.

World-renowned flautist and the hall's artistic director Ana de la Vega will kick off Snow Concert Hall's first concert series, the International Series, performing alongside the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra with works of Mozart, Elgar, Vivaldi, Stamitz and more.

Canberra businessman Terry Snow gifted $20 million to his alma mater in 2019 to build the concert hall. While it has been constructed under the 94-year-old school's quadrangle, the facility was always planned to be shared with the wider community through concerts, as well as masterclasses and educational opportunities by the touring performers.

Designed by Cox Architecture, the acoustically-tuned auditorium has 936 seats and balcony bench seating for an additional audience of up to 400 people.

"There's a magic element to the success of a hall, it's not something that you can put in definite terms," Ms de la Vega said.

"There's the wash of sound and the way that it hangs in the air, but also there is a very charming, homey, almost comfy feeling about this hall.

"It feels so beautiful from the stage. The job is really hard when the acoustic is hard because from up there you feel you have to push or do more. When there's help from the hall, the performance becomes so much more relaxed, because you can trust that the sound is caring."

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The series will continue with UK-based Australian pianist Piers Lane - who has been a soloist five times at the BBC Proms - who will perform on June 29. On August 17 and 18, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis - "a modern-day Louis Armstrong" - will take to the stage with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

While Ms de la Vega describes this first concert series as a celebration of the hall's opening, she plans on using her contacts from her 16-year career performing in Europe to create a diverse line-up of musicians that would otherwise not come to Canberra.

"I want to bring the great works, wonderful artists, positive open musicians because of the educational aspect," she said.

"I don't have a prerogative other than to bring that magic and beauty and perfection here."

Ana de la Vega is at Snow Concert Hall on Saturday at 7pm. For tickets go snowconcerthall.com.

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