Over the last four weekends, Evert de Munnik from The Academy of Sound Engineering (ASE) and Jan Van Zyl (former lecturer at ASE) recorded the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO) season. It will be available on Computicket in middle November to stream and watch/listen.
The 2nd year ASE students helped with the setup and then sat in the auditorium listening to the orchestra while Evert and Jan recorded them. Afterwards they help to strike. The students not only listened and watched the orchestra, but also took notice of the interaction between the orchestra and the conductor.
The students also learnt the time line and importance of time management when you work with an orchestra, how the orchestra is setup and how to mic up the various instruments.
Here is what the students had to say:
Tumishang Mashigo:
"This was an interesting experience - from the orchestra not needing to be reinforced through a PA, to the order in handling the business of the day, was really impressive for me. Time is of the essence and here it was well demonstrated, everybody who was there knew what they needed to do. I learnt a bit about each section of the orchestra and thoroughly enjoyed the strings and how they blended so well in levels by just being conducted and not mixed on a console. During the performance at times I really imagined the music being a soundtrack for a Hollywood film, the standard was of that calibre. Really amazing."
Talanné van Tonder:
"This was truly without a doubt an amazing learning and listening experience. From the start of getting to set up the microphones ourselves, to the excitement when the JPO musicians started arriving. I personally think everyone should have this experience to hear an orchestra acoustically without a PA, for I am sure (such as myself) you will get a new understanding and appreciation for orchestras, and the way they can control their dynamic range, to blend together with one another and their perfect timing. I feel like this is one of those experiences that you can relive a thousand times over, and you will still be amazed every time."
Amantle Mabasa:
"Recording the JPO with Evert was fascinating. I'm am not a fan of Classical music but I had the chance to listen to it live and appreciate the beauty and art of the music. I enjoyed seeing him (Evert) apply some of the stereo techniques he taught us and getting to hear how they sound. I look forward to working and experiencing more with him."
Nqobile Maseko:
"The whole orchestral experience was life changing. It was emotional and soul moving. To witness the structure, professionalism, discipline and passion projected by the musicians really changed my perspective of music. I can only imagine the dedication the musicians put in, especially when playing the most difficult of musical instruments. I don't think I'll appreciate contemporary music like I do with classical music. I was really honoured to witness them perform."
Mathuhli Phetla:
"Firstly I would like to say that listening to an orchestra in a venue that's acoustically treated as well as the Linder Auditorium is, is one of the best moments that I've ever witnessed in my entire life. The experience of seeing how much work and perfection goes into a performance, and the ease in which the JPO musicians and the conductor made it seem, really blew my mind. These are some of the things that raised my curiosity and made me want to explore classical music further.
What impressed me was the dynamic range of the orchestra and the tonal quality and warmth that you can hear in the auditorium. During the recording I made a point of listening to the orchestra in the auditorium and going outside and listening through the monitor where Evert and Jan were sitting. To my surprise, little difference was noticed from my point of view. It proved the importance of distant miking techniques and also the stereo microphone techniques in orchestral music."
Dulane McCabe:
"To be part of recording an orchestra with Evert and Jan was simply just magical. I enjoyed every single second of it and I have gathered so much knowledge both from you both. No words can describe my experience as it was simply just too amazing for anyone to understand. To be part of a team that worked efficiently and communicated properly was part of that experience in which I was honored to be apart of the team.
Apart from ASE knowledge, I was taught values, tips and tricks that I shall carry with me through the rest of my years in the industry hopefully. All that’s left for me to say is thank you for allowing me to be apart of the team. Thank you for the real orchestra acoustic experience and thank you for the extra mile you go to teach us students. We really appreciate your help and wisdom."
Buhlebemvelo Mthembu:
"Saturday the 10th of October was one of the greatest adventures of this year. It had its ups and downs but all in all, it was great. The ups had to be when we set up the sound equipment on the stage, getting an opportunity to witness the great Decca Tree being put together, interacting with the former lecturer of ASE - Jan Van Zyl and seeing an orchestra perform at its utmost best. The JPO were so professional which really made me gain respect for Classical music and the composition of the songs were amazing. The downside of this experience is that Classical music isn't my cup of tea so I didn't really enjoy the music that much."
