Vaughan Sound Installations (VSI) was asked to provide specialist lighting, AV and audio consultancy, design and specification services for the performance facilities at the newly built Queen Elizabeth School in Johnstown, Carmarthen, Wales, UK.
VSI worked directly with the electrical contractors Whitehead Building Services who undertook the installation, working for main contractor Carillion. WBS's project director was Steve Jones and VSI's project managers were Keith Fish and Tony Morruzzi. Fish designed the systems after receiving an outline brief of the requirements from project consultants, Hoare Lea.
Three new areas have been created in the project – the Performance Hall, the Assembly Hall and the Drama Studio, each of which needed well thought-out stage lighting, AV and sound systems to accommodate a wide range of uses, events and performances.
VSI has considerable experience in the schools and education market. “The key points are to ensure that the end result is very flexible and not to over-specify” explains Keith Fish. “It's important to provide people with the appropriate technology for what they are doing, not to blind them with kit they won't be able to fully understand or use”
Performance & Assembly Halls
In the Performance Hall, VSI supplied an 8 square metre Trilite truss, complete with 8 audio speaker circuits, 40 dimmer circuits and 4 hot power circuits, along with DMX data lines. The idea is that the wiring and connection points are configured to allow the space to be used in any orientation/axis, allowing easy movement of production kit to different points around the trusses.
Lighting fixtures were a mix of Selecon profiles, fresnels and floods with barn doors, chosen for their reliability and cost-effectiveness. Dimmers are Zero 88 Chilli Pro 24-10is.
The sound system comprises RCF ART315i speakers, QSC amplifiers and a Soundcraft Spirit F16 mixing console with inbuilt effects, together with a Tascam CD/tape player and mini-disc recorder. RCF was an excellent, budget conscious option to provide high clarity sound for speech and spoken word applications as well as good even coverage throughout the space for acoustic and electronic musical events. The Soundcraft desk was selected as a reliable multi-functional industry standard product.
VSI also supplied a projection system based around a 12 ft retractable electric screen, a Sanyo XU48 3000 ANSI Lumen XGA projector and a multiregional DVD/VCR recorder.
In both Performance and Assembly Halls, overall control for the projector and screen is via an AMX Procon control panel at the Stage with a slave to the control rooms This was chosen for being “Simple and intuitive to use” and also for it's lock-out functions, which prevent unsolicited interference!
The Assembly Hall features a near identical set up, without the box truss, but with internally wired lighting bars installed over a stage, and rigged with a similar mix of Selecon Acclaim profiles, fresnels and floods.
The sound system again has RCF ART315i speakers and the same amps and source machines as the Performance Hall, completed with a Behringer mixing desk free issued by the school. The AV set up is also a mirror of the other Hall.
VSI also supplied a number of facilities panels for the Assembly Hall to maximise connectivity, including a stage box with 12 audio sends and 4 returns; a bespoke panel with VGA, DMX, video and audio tie lines, Speakon panels for the loudspeaker connections, a custom patch panel located in the control room and extra projector facility panels with dedicated cabling.
The project was completed with induction loops for both halls, with extra Converser wireless multi-packs for use throughout the School.
Drama Studio
The requirement in here was for a dynamic, all-purpose lighting and sound rig, so VSI designed a 10 by 4.5 metre, 20 circuit internally wired lighting grid, populated with a combination of Selecon profiles, fresnels and floods, with Zero 88 Chilli Pro dimmers.
The sound system is another RCF ART315i installation, powered by QSC amps. A Soundcraft Spirit E8 is the mixing desk, and source machines are a Tascam CDA500 CD/cassette player and an MD350 mini disc recorder.
VSI completed the supply putting together a mics-and-stands package to be shared between all spaces, consisting of a selection of Shure, Sennheiser and Audio Technica products.