Sound On

The renovations are taking place in phases to allow the venue to remain open to performers and audiences—including the hall’s two resident companies, the Houston Symphony and Performing Arts Houston—for the bulk of each year. The project kicked off in 2021 with significant upgrades to the venue’s acoustics.

“One of the challenges with Jones Hall for musicians and audiences has always been the acoustics to some extent. While they’ve been good, they’ve been a little challenging for the musicians on stage and somewhat variable depending on where you’re sitting in the hall. There are some spots that are terrific and other spots where it’s a little bit more compromised,” said John Mangum, Houston Symphony’s executive director and CEO in the same Houston Press article.

Seating layout and audience comfort upgrades came in 2023, along with improved crowd flow layouts and expanded restroom facilities.

“The changes significantly improve the acoustic experience and help push sounds happening on stage out into the house, and they also improve the experience of the performers on stage by being able to hear each other from different locations on stage.”

In 2022, the bulk of the upgrades happened literally “behind the scenes” with improvements to the stage and orchestra pit, as well as backstage amenities and plumbing and electrical work.