But the county and philharmonic disagree. She and others declined to elaborate, saying they preferred to save their arguments for the courtroom. But sources familiar with the county's position suggest the county will argue that the entire assortment of improvements at the bowl represents a rehabilitation, and that, within such a context, the replacement of an individual element, like the shell, would not preclude use of the bond money. Musicians who play there have long dreamed about replacing the shell, noting its acoustical deficiencies and the fact that it is too cramped to fit the entire orchestra under the covered portion of the stage, especially for productions that call for large choral groups. It isn't the acoustical shortcomings within the bowl that primarily concern them, but those within the shell itself.
Musicians say that sound on the shell's stage is unequally distributed.
Despite using a hodgepodge of speakers and microphones, they complain that they can't hear one another on parts of the stage, while the sound in the area nearest the audience is almost deafening. Designed into the new shell is a so-called acoustical envelope, or halo, a device to be suspended above the musicians to reflect the sound produced onstage so that they can hear each other without the need for amplification. Ultimate Twofer Tom Riley's a tough former Notre Dame football player who believes teachers want to succeed, if only somebody would show them how. All rights reserved.