With Geffen Hall, NY Phil gets a fresh, better sounding home

Forced from their offices early in the pandemic, key leaders of the New York Philharmonic and Lincoln Center met in July 2020 under the trees of the venue’s Capital Grove patio to try to finally solve a decadeslong problem.

Could they accelerate the timetable to address their albatross: the orchestra’s much maligned, sonically challenged home?

“It was a group moment, like wow, the hall’s going to be closed down,” recalled Philharmonic President Deborah Borda. “Well, let’s get started.”