Paul W. Klipsch Amphitheater

[johnyholiday]

http://www.garvangardens.org/discover/klipsch-amp.asp

[Daddy Dee]

Last year I was as the dedication of this amphitheatre. This pic, taken from the seating area doesn't show much of the terraced stone wall seating in the natural bowl, but it can be discerned from the bottom of the pic. It's a lovely setting in Hot Springs, AR.

[johnyholiday]

Garvan Woodland Gardens improvements -- The University of Arkansas

School of Architecture is continuing its development of Garvan Woodland

Gardens, a 210-acre botanical garden with 4.5 miles of shoreline on

Lake Hamilton near Hot Springs. A recent addition is the Paul and

Valerie Klipsch Amphitheater, a masterfully sculpted amphitheater with

fixed flagstone seating for approximately 500, plus additional lawn

chair or blanket seating available on the perimeter. Made possible by a

generous donation from Valerie Klipsch, widow of internationally

acclaimed sound engineer Paul Klipsch, the facility features a pair of

industrial Klipsch La Scala speakers and portable stage lighting.

Beginning this spring, the gardens will offer the "Klipsch Amphitheater

Series" that will include a variety of concerts, theatrical

presentations and children's plays. Also new is a Model Train Garden.

Under construction and expected to open in January 2006 is the Anthony

Chapel, designed by nationally acclaimed architects Maurice Jennings

and David McKee. It will be similar in design to the renowned

Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs but almost twice as large. The

soaring 57-foot ceiling and massive glass windows will allow majestic

views of Lake Hamilton and the surrounding wooded terrain. Also

expected to open in 2006 is the Evans Children's Adventure Garden,

which will include such features as a cave with waterfall, maze, tree

houses, stone-climbing slopes, crawdad holes, numerous streams with

cascades and pools, and a stone, sluice slide. The gardens are located

at 540 Arkridge Road, off Carpenter Dam Road south of Hot Springs.

www.garvangardens.org; (501) 262-9300 or 800-366-4664.

[johnyholiday]

Klipsch amphitheater dedicated in Hot Springs, Arkansas Arkansas

Governor Mike, Huckabee, a native of Hope, was the keynote speaker at

the dedication of the Paul W. and Valerie Klipsch Amphitheatre at

Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs on April 21.

Huckabee remembered legendary sound engineer Paul W. Klipsch, B.S. EE,

NM A& MA 1926, as a brilliant engineer a simple, humble genius

who set the gold standard in audio technology and changed the way the

world heard recorded music with his revolutionary speaker design, The

Klipschhorn.

Also a featured speaker at the event, Dr. Steven P. Castillo, Dean of

the College of Engineering recognized Pauls legacy as an engineer, his

lifelong dedication to excellence and his outstanding support of his

alma mater, NMSU.

Klipsch founded Klipsch Audio Technologies in Hope, Arkansas shortly

after World War II and continued to be active in the company until

shortly before his death in 2002 at age 97.

Valerie Klipsch, a concert pianist, who immigrated to the United States

in 1946, began teaching piano in Hot Springs in 1949 and later moved to

Hope to teach at Hope High School, where she taught French, German, and

choir. It was during this time that she met her future husband after an

evening of music with the Little Rock Chamber Orchestra. They were

married in 1976.

During his life, Paul Klipsch was among the leading benefactors of the

College of Engineering. Valerie has continued his tradition of loyalty

and generosity since his death. She remains active on the Academy of

the Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and in the

activities of the Paul W. Klipsch Museum on the NMSU campus.

Attending the dedication ceremonies from NMSU were President Michael

Martin and his wife Jan; Dean Steve Castillo; Assistant Dean Patricia

Sullivan; former Dean Jay Jordan, and his wife Lya; and former

Assistant Dean Joe Creed.

[johnyholiday]

[H]The governor was friends with the Klipschs when he grew up at Hope.