Fall 2020 presented unprecedented complications for educational institutions and performance venues around the world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Texas State University School of Music was charged with tackling these challenges head-on in an effort to assist our students meet graduation milestones and continue to safely share our art with the Texas State University and San Marcos communities at large. One avenue we were able to explore was live-streaming.
Operations Manager of the Performing Arts Center, Candice Mongellow, Nick Swanson, A/V Lighting Supervisor, and their staff worked tirelessly over the summer with Dr. Joey M. Martin, the then-Associate Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication and current-Interim Director of the School of Music, to outfit the Performing Arts Center with high-tech live-streaming and video recording equipment. This equipment included an AW-HE130 HD integrated PTZ camera from Panasonic. This high-definition, robotic camera is remotely controllable, adding movement and depth to each performance. In tandem with two stationary Panasonic cameras, streams are shot from three angles simultaneously, creating high-quality, professional live-streaming experiences.
Utilizing the new equipment, the School of Music presented 35 recitals during Fall 2020. Robert Styers, Box Office Manager, worked to share these performances online through the Texas State Presents platform where they garnered more than 8,500 views! “This new video equipment has given a forum to our students to help promote themselves and in so doing, promote the talent held in our School of Music,” he says. Performing Arts Center staff streamed each recital live to txstatepresents.com where they were viewable during a 48-hour window. Friends and family of our students and faculty were able to enjoy these performances, including those who would not have had the opportunity to be present under ideal circumstances.
We are excited to see how live-streaming will continue to affect our audience outreach during the ongoing pandemic and beyond. Thank you to Candice, Nick, Robert, and their staff for everything they did to make this a possibility! We also want to congratulate all the students who adapted to these new processes and were able to successfully share their hard work. We look forward to a future with live events, but we are incredibly thankful for the opportunity we have to share music with those around the world.