BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE, EDITOR
The Hedberg is a $96 million academic and cultural hub is set to launch in 2019. And this University of Tasmania campus will be latched onto the side of the historic Theatre Royal, offering multiple performance spaces for chamber music, orchestra, and other activities for the stage.
But, importantly, the Hedberg also claims to prioritise the health and safety of its students. (And, when you’re playing a brass instrument in a tiny room, training up that technique for three hours straight, you’re going to want to protect those ears of yours.)
In this story, we interview two leaders of the music institution to be: head of the Hedberg Andrew Legg, and audio design lecturer and coordinator Stewart Long.
We wanted to know if the acoustic treatment will help protect against hearing damage, and Stewart fills us in on the specs. We also wanted to know if the new conservatorium, which will have extended opening hours, is going to keep its students safe (after all, they should be protected if they want to pump some mad saxophone improv in the dark of night).
And, across both scenarios, it’s all sounding fairly promising.
Andrew Legg: How will the campus keep its students safe?
Andrew, thanks for the chat. Tell us, what will the Hedberg do with a vision of student safety? Will there be improvements on the strategies used at the UTAS Conservatorium of Music as it currently exists?
Vastly improved monitoring and security, for a start. Entry by electronic system (key card or similar), and an elevator with limited key-card access to the con for students and staff only. Electronic monitoring of every space, fed to usual monitored security systems.
So, the same and better safety features that already exist in other areas of the university – but not at the present in full within the current con. The age of the current building, and the complexity of installing these sort of devices, has been looked at for many years, and is just not possible, I am told. This is one of the reasons we have to limit student access. Security in Hedberg will also have a physical presence, still, as now.
What will the opening hours be at this new school, and how will the Hedberg protect students wishing to practice in the evenings?
Still to be decided, as the Hedberg is more than just the con. It also involves the Theatre Royal. So, when you ask ‘What will the opening hours be?, we have to be specific in terms of what ‘bit’ we are actually referring to. At the moment, the main public foyers will be something like 8′.30-9am til 5.30pm. It is intended that students will have access to parts of the con – practice rooms especially – 24/7.
The whole development is a partnership between the State Government and UTAS, and so the TR will have input into how security operates as well. However, their issues are just as important, pressing, and much the same as ours.
How will the Hedberg accommodate for students or visitors with disabilities in areas such as practice rooms, elevators, performance spaces, and facilities such as toilets?
Lift access is provided, along with all the expected other access requirements/facilities. All the foyer spaces are wheelchair and disability friendly, with elevator access to all required areas. It’s a new building, and therefore complies with all current regulations in relation to access. This is a significant step forward, and a huge difference between what many experience currently.
What support services are or will be offered for students who may wish to contact the university about physical or mental health and safety concerns? For instance, a student body or hotline, or even interaction with staff?
My current understanding is that we provide already all that you indicate, and would obviously continue to do so.
*Editor’s note: This question was deferred by Andrew to the head of the existing UTAS Conservatorium of Music Maria Grenfell, and may be pursued for further information.
Why is it important to you to put the health and safety of students first?
Music is for everyone, at every level. A good con – especially where it is, at the same time, both ‘major city’ and ‘regional’ – serves the whole community. That also carries enormous responsibility – meaning we have to care and provide for, and make the place safe and comfortable for, the whole community wherever possible.
Individual health and safety for our students (and our performers and patrons) is the most important single issue for us, both at university and in the broader community.
Stewart Long: How will the building be designed for ear health and to prevent hearing loss among musicians?
Stewart, what do you know about ear damage and classical music?
Ear damage can occur to anyone that is noise-exposed beyond known accepted limits for average [sound pressure level] over time. This, of course, includes musicians. Orchestras can be loud and so classical musicians are at risk – it’s all about how loud for how long. There are ways to minimise vulnerability, and some instruments are worse than others. I know both classical and contemporary musicians that have paid the hearing loss price for their craft.
The new Hedberg will be designed for excellent acoustics – not only to sound good, but to accommodate for lengthy and loud practice and performance sessions. Tell us a little more about this design.
The high ceilings has more to do with good sound (avoiding acoustic compression) and cognitive comfort rather than minimising SPL to any significant reduction in hearing loss. Having said that, if musicians can hear the context they’re playing in due to good acoustic, then they tend to play less strenuously; maybe even quieter in some ensembles. This is a good thing!
What do you feel are the responsibilities of conservatoriums in providing a healthy work and practice spaces for musicians entering their careers?
Students need to be aware of what a good sounding room actually is. We owe them that experience. As an example, our own [Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra] has been housed in less-than-acceptable acoustic, both in terms of performance and rehearsal. It’s better than nowhere to perform, but experiencing a good room as a student helps to form a gold reference acoustic standard.
Other than that, students are due the courtesy to breathe good air, have good light, and access to comfortable amenities including digital connection facilities.
Have there been any discussions with audiologists or other experts in this field? Or is the acoustic design influenced by those who specialise in performance?
It is my opinion that there is a disconnection between the built environment and good acoustic. We have popular (many recently refurbished) civic spaces that sound oppressive when occupied, and even worse when music is playing. This can be especially distressing for the young, the elderly, and those with autism or those experiencing disorientation. Discussions are now beginning to emerge around healthy sounding spaces and consequent design. Acousticians have always been available for such design but the desire to plan toward engagement with these specialists has been lacking or ditched due to expense or an aesthetic towards hostile sounding materials.
Why are you most looking forward to the Hedberg’s new spaces?
If the building is built to its original specification as started, the Hedberg will provide a much-needed acoustic reference that is globally special. The adjustable acoustic will be able to be easily tailored to the genre being played due to amazing acoustic adjustability. This will allow for not only incredible performance sound, but for research opportunities also. It’s a performance space and a lab. Time to experiment!
You can find out more about the Hedberg in this story, which will give you the full run-down on plans beyond student health and safety.
Since these interviews were conducted, a petition has been launched that addresses the job safety of the University of Tasmania security officers, who are risking loss of employment due to changes in contracts. These security officers are attempting to meet with the UTAS Vice Chancellor about this petition. You can explore it here.
What does this story mean to you?
We volunteer our time to write stories at CutCommon. If you like, you can shout the writer a coffee for covering the topics of student health and safety.
[purchase_link id=”12246″ style=”button” color=”red” text=”Pay what you like”]
Images of the Hedberg by Liminal Architecture, supplied by the University of Tasmania.
Pay what you like securely via PayPal. We protect your information.
