Taunton School has unveiled a modern renovation of its Gwyn Williams Room, a dedicated music rehearsal and recital space.
The School managed the refurbishment alongside Quantity Surveyors Ward Williams, Wootton Donoghue Architects and Holtz Acoustics plus the School’s in-house staff and local company Greenway Renovations.
The Gwyn Williams Room has been transformed into a refined and inspirational recital space made possible due to the generous donations received during the School’s 2025 Giving Day. Upgrades include:
- A Steinway Model C Grand Piano akin to those used in New York’s Carnegie Hall and London’s Royal Albert Hall
- Bespoke ash acoustic wall cladding that creates a clear, refined sound for soloists and small ensembles
- New integrated audio-visual equipment which will enable high-quality recording and live streaming
- New Dali lighting system with set lighting scenes
- Automatic blackout blinds
- New floor finish, electrics, plumbing and decorations
Matthew Cook, Deputy Head – Co-Curricular at Taunton School, said: “The quality of this refurbishment is remarkable. The Gwyn Williams Room now bears comparison with some of the finest recital halls in both design and acoustics. This reflects our ongoing commitment to our thriving Music and Performing Arts programme, and to the provision our musicians deserve.
“My thanks to our brilliant staff, our partners, and the hugely generous donors who made it possible. We are all excited to see the space in use for both rehearsal and performance.”
James Patterson, Acoustic Engineer at Holtz Acoustics, was engaged as part of the design team to focus on acoustic testing and design. James said: “I have been delighted to be part of the design team for the Gwyn Williams refurbishment. The acoustic design focused on increasing the reverberation time of the space as far as possible within the constraints of the room size, while creating a smooth and clean reverb tail to support solo recital and small ensemble playing.
“The room already possessed excellent clarity but suffered from a flutter echo along its length. To address this, bespoke one-dimensional Schroeder diffusers were designed to cover the walls, breaking up the echo and reducing the likelihood of other acoustic defects. A secondary benefit of these panels is an increase in listener envelopment – the sense of being immersed in the sound.”
Music is central to life at Taunton School from nursery to Sixth Form with a vibrant programme featuring more than 100 performances every year, specialist lessons in 20 different musical instruments and disciplines, and weekly ensemble rehearsals in numerous musical styles, including choirs, orchestras, rock bands, jazz and funk bands, musical theatre clubs, brass and percussion ensembles, and chamber trios, quartets and quintets.
The Gwyn Williams Room renovation is the latest project to reach completion in Taunton School’s £20 million campus development plan which includes the building of two new boarding houses set to open in 2027 which will give the School a further 147 beds for full, weekly and flexi boarders.
Visit https://www.tauntonschool.co.uk/explore/our-campus/ to learn more about Taunton School’s campus masterplan.
