St. Michael’s Grammar School, St. George’s Performing Arts Centre

Context

The Team

A Professional Sound System for the St. Michael’s Grammar School’s St. George’s Performing Arts Centre

St. Michael’s Grammar School, established in 1895, is an independent co-educational institution in St. Kilda, Melbourne. The school provides a holistic education that focuses on academics and emphasizes the importance of extracurricular pursuits, allowing students to develop their passions and talents. It also boasts a thriving Performing Arts department, with students actively participating in a diverse range of productions, concerts, and performances throughout the year. These events range from contemporary dance and music performances to acclaimed musicals and a House drama festival. To further support this vibrant program, the school decided to repurpose the heritage-listed St. George’s Church, a space they had been using for music rehearsals and gatherings since 1990, into a state-of-the-art performing arts center. The newly transformed St. George’s Performing Arts Centre, which reopened in May 2023, now serves as the primary venue for the school’s diverse range of productions.

The Challenge

The building’s inherent acoustic properties were the primary challenge in designing a sound system for the St. George’s Performing Arts Centre. Constructed in 1877 and originally designed for unamplified choral music performances, the church’s reverberant space posed a significant hurdle for modern sound reinforcement. The presence of a nearby tram line and the ongoing school activities further complicated the situation, creating a need for a system that could effectively manage noise levels while delivering clear, high-quality audio. 

The Solution

To address these challenges, Studio Entertech, a leading local theatre design consultant, proposed an innovative solution: a 3D spatial audio mixing system utilizing L-Acoustics L-ISA technology. This technology allows for precise control of sound, enabling the creation of an immersive audio experience within the challenging acoustics of the repurposed church. The system comprises a main frontal Scene system of five hangs of two A10 Focus and two A10 Wide each, complemented by two KS21 subwoofers flown behind the center hang. Eight X8 coaxial boxes provide spatial in-fill to the first rows, while a surround system of ten X8 speakers caters to a fixed audience area. In the transept section, a side-fill system consisting of two A10 Wide flown per side ensures balanced coverage. Stage performers benefit from monitoring provided by four X12 speakers.

The Result

Installing the L-Acoustics L-ISA system has transformed the St. George’s Performing Arts Centre into a truly immersive audio environment. The system’s ability to precisely control sound within the reverberant space ensures clarity and intelligibility for various performances. Moreover, the inclusion of this cutting-edge technology provides St. Michael’s students with a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience with equipment typically found in professional settings. 

Project photos