Page 49 - Guildhall Coverage Book 2020-21

Despite the unique visual – the setup across four different rooms – the production is a quality
performance. “There was a time when we were worried this could be cancelled,” Hepple says.
“However, with Dante we were able to keep it alive. And that’s a big deal right now because our
rooms, which are normally alive and vibrant, had been silent for six months. Bringing the music back
was important for everyone.”

The setup will next be used to present an upcoming Guildhall Symphony Orchestra concert conducted
by Jessica Cottis, which will be available to watch online for one week from Saturday, Nov. 7
at www.gsmd.ac.uk/gso.

Dante has also helped ensure that in-person, performance-focused instruction and coursework
continues. By using a similar Dante workflow across its multiple performance spaces, the School is
able to route audio into video conferencing applications that is of high enough quality to allow
collaboration.

Guildhall School embraces the many different technologies and tools used in the crafting of an audio
performance and leverages Dante’s AoIP to feed into a Solid State Logic Origin analog console via
SSL’s A32 Dante-enabled stagebox, which form part of a fully analog recording studio. The studio is
primarily used for jazz ensembles, classical chamber, and voiceover radio workshops.

“So, for example, we can put three pianists in one large room – or in three separate rooms – and have
their audio output via video conferencing to the instructor of the class,” explains Liam Halpin,
Director at DataSound Consulting, the firm that integrated the system. “Those feeds can be heard by
anyone on the platform, and they are all high-quality audio. That’s very important to allow an
instructor to teach the class.”

Photo credit: Clive Totman

Halpin adds that with the potential for around 70 Dante devices to be in use across Guildhall’s
multiple concert halls, recital rooms, and classrooms, the need for both robust management and
security was important. Thus, the School turned to Dante Domain Manager network management
software that enables user authentication, role-based security, and audit capabilities for Dante