PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Clyne Media, Inc.
Tel: (615) 662-1616
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GUITAR CENTER PROFESSIONAL PROVIDES NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR THE REOPENING OF THE BOHEMIAN NATIONAL HALL IN NEW YORK CITY— Integration of all-new audio/video systems sourced and supervised by GC Pro cap a $45 million renovation for a historic building that represents the Czech Republic and Czech foundations in the U.S. —
— Inclusion of Sony security video cameras signals the expansion of GC Pro offerings into the video domain, in addition to pro audio, recording, computers and sound reinforcement —
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA, February 10, 2009 — The newly refurbished Bohemian National Hall on Manhattan’s Upper East Side is a monument to New York City’s history of internationalism. The five-story, neo-Renaissance structure, built in 1896 by the Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association (BBLA), served as a cultural center for Czech and Slovak immigrants throughout the 20th century. In 2001, it was gifted to the Czech government, which has spent $45 million to renovate it. Today, it houses a 32,000-square-foot, 300-person ballroom, the Czech Consulate, the Bohemian Benevolent and Literary Association, the Czech Center, a 60-seat THX-certified screening room and a library. Equally impressive is the building’s new A/V system, with components supplied by Guitar Center Professional (GC Pro), the outside sales division of Guitar Center that focuses on the needs of professional users. The fact that GC Pro was able to supply every key component of these extensive and complex systems installation – including video components, a product category recently added at GC Pro – reflects the comprehensiveness of GC Pro’s ever-expanding capabilities in serving the needs of a wide range of professional media systems clients.
The A/V system at the Bohemian National Hall includes components ranging from a large PA system for the theater – using four JBL SRX 722F speaker systems flown from the ceiling, fed from a Soundcraft GB4 32 console – to a security system, utilizing 19 Sony SNC-RZ30N NTSC cameras and a Sony NSR-25/500 Network Recorder. Also featured are a Panasonic PT-DW7000 projector with Panasonic Lens ET-D75LE2; signal sources including a Marantz® Professional PMD570 and a Denon® Professional DN-V310; and three Samsung FPT6374 plasma video displays. These diverse systems, designed and installed by systems integrator AVC Prague, underscore GC Pro’s expanding capabilities to be the turnkey vendor for the most sophisticated system design in any environment.
Further emphasizing GC Pro’s ability to work under even the most challenging circumstances, the New York City office of GC Pro met every delivery schedule set by the integrator, often working via international emails and phone calls, despite the restrictions of working within a high-security governmental environment.
GC Pro experts also helped consult on equipment and technology decisions. “The Bohemian National Hall is an architectural gem inside and out, as well as an extension of the government of the Czech Republic,” explains Michael Yorky, the GC Pro Account Manager who, along with fellow Account Manager Niyi Adelekan, acted as liaison for the project. “The technology had to be consistent with an installation of this type: for instance, the use of ceiling speakers to keep the paging system as much in the background as possible visibly. We were very proud to have been able to bring the collective expertise and experience of GC Pro to such a culturally and architecturally significant project as this one.”
About Guitar Center Professional/Guitar Center
Guitar Center Professional is the outside sales division of Guitar Center that focuses on the needs of professional users. Its clientele includes recording studios, audio engineers, producers, recording and touring musicians, live sound venues, post production facilities and more. Emphasizing extraordinary individualized service via local account managers, GC Pro offers expert consultation and a comprehensive selection of the world’s finest equipment for music and audio professionals. More information on GC Pro can be found by visiting www.gcpro.com.Guitar Center is the leading United States retailer of guitars, amplifiers, percussion instruments, keyboards and pro-audio and recording equipment. Our retail store subsidiary presently operates more than 200 Guitar Center stores across the U.S. In addition, our Music & Arts division operates more than 100 stores specializing in band instruments for sale and rental, serving teachers, band directors, college professors and students. We are also the largest direct response retailer of musical instruments in the United States through our wholly owned subsidiary, Musician's Friend, Inc., and its catalog and Web site, www.musiciansfriend.com. More information on Guitar Center can be found by visiting the Company's Web site at www.guitarcenter.com.
The Guitar Center logo is a registered trademark of Guitar Center, Inc. Other brand or product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.
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