Presently the only dedicated performing arts academy in the Middle East, the facilities at the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy (SPAA) rival those of some of the best colleges and universities around the world. Offering a range of four-year undergraduate courses, the SPAA keeps a vigilant eye on technological innovation not only to ensure that it retains its pedigree but give students a taste of working life.

The SPAA’s latest equipment purchase is a 25-fader DiGiCo Quantum 225 digital audio console that forms the centrepiece of the college’s new performing arts technical infrastructure. Facilitated through local distributor 7Hertz, this is the console’s first placement in the Middle East.

SPAA’s undergraduate courses include a BA in Production Arts – a four-year programme that aims to prepare stage managers, technicians and production designers. ‘The first year covers the fundamentals, where the students learn about all the disciplines, including technical, production, musical theatre and acting,’ explains tutor, John Parkhouse. ‘The second year is then spent building on that process, specifically in production arts. Then, in the latter part of the second year and the third year, the students move into their chosen specialities.’

The caveat to this is that first-year students’ technical competence can vary wildly. Equipment must be accessible to all but capable enough to carry students through four years of more in-depth learning. As a new tutor in the production arts department, Parkhouse was instrumental in the decision to acquire the Quantum.

A familiar face in the local A/V industry, having served as Dead of Audio at Eclipse Group (now Encore) for more than seven years, Parkhouse understands the demands for audio production set by the local market. ‘The purchase of the DiGiCo was very specifically in my thoughts and my remit,’ he says.

‘When I arrived at the academy, they already had adequate systems in place – L-Acoustics in the main theatre and the studio, and a nice selection of microphones. But the console in place was an older generation Allen & Heath that had become quite outdated. I specified a wishlist with the Quantum 225 at the top. What I was unsure of initially, was whether the academy wanted to make that kind of serious investment. I went with the maximum spec with the intention of pulling it back if I needed to. But, in the end, I put in the request along with my rationale and the response was almost immediate – let’s do it.

‘The ability to jump straight in off the back of the Quantum 225 release was also very timely,’ he continues. ‘It was a great opportunity, and I was pretty sure SPAA would be one of the first in the region. As far as I’m aware we’re the first educational establishment in the Middle East to go down the DiGiCo route. Having worked in the industry for so long, it’s extremely exciting being able to work with the students, and giving them access to such great equipment is pretty phenomenal. I think it makes a bold statement for SPAA, but an important one. I wanted to aim for giving students the opportunity to use ‘the real stuff’ – equipment that would increase their employability tenfold.’

SPAA’s new DiGiCo complement consists of a 21-fader Quantum 225 surface outfitted with a variety of optional connectivity interfaces, including an HMA optics upgrade, DMI Dante 64@96 SRC I/O card, DMI Madi Cat5 I/O card and an SD-Rack with HMA Optics, all loaded with 32-bit Stadius cards.

Students get access to 72 input channels, 36 aux/sub group buses, stereo and LCR main outputs and a 12×12 patching matrix. There are also 32 Nodal processors, 24 Mustard processors and six Spice FX racks onboard.

‘It’s the latest and the greatest and has all of the additional feature set that comes with a Quantum,’ Parkhouse says. ‘Throughout my time as an engineer, if given a choice, it would always be DiGiCo. All the popular brands bring a different flavour to the mix but, for me, the consistency, robustness and just the way you interact with the console is key. The platform appears to be keeping that consistency between the SD and Quantum and that was a major point that I made to the academy. You are futureproofing yourself for the next decade, if not potentially quite a bit longer.’

The extra functionality embedded within the Quantum desk allows Parkhouse to dig much deeper, in particular with his final-year students. ‘One of the things I’m spending a tremendous amount of time explaining to my students is building an understanding of the adaptability of digital technology, because there’s so much that you can do,’ he says. ‘It operates pretty much like an analogue console but is much more feature-rich. The new Mustard and Spice Rack processing is also quite a major step forward in my opinion, in several respects for onboard processing.’

Helpfully, Parkhouse has enjoyed a healthy relationship with 7Hertz that made the SPAA purchase a breeze. ‘I have a business relationship with Chadi from my time at Eclipse, but we also have a very deep-seated friendship,’ he says. ‘He was one of the first people I told that I was considering joining the academy, and the first person I invited to visit. When he saw the academy, he immediately understood why I had chosen to join and has been very supportive. He really wants to aid what is being done at SPAA and was prepared to do whatever it takes to make the Quantum purchase happen.’

‘What you see now is the fruit of a very long relationship between us and John,’ says 7Hertz owner, Chadi El Masri. ‘Aside from the academy wanting the very best, when you invest in a product like DiGiCo, you are assured that students have access to technology that is going to last for at least 10-to-15 years. It’s an investment rather than a cost. Many people think that DiGiCo is an expensive product to buy. Yes ,it is if you were to throw it in the garbage after two years but, if you buy and use it for 12-to-15 years enjoying the latest technologies, and you can still resell it, then that’s a very attractive proposition that many people still don’t understand.’

The long-term aim for Parkhouse is to immerse students in the world of object-based mixing, another skill becoming increasingly sought-after in live production, and of which the Quantum 225 is more than capable. ‘We are well aware that our industry is pretty much dominated by technologies that are changing on a regular basis,’ El Masri concludes. ‘Either you are ahead, or you are behind and left catching up.’

Thanks to the foresight and determination of Parkhouse and the team at 7Hertz, that’s not a dilemma SPAA students are facing.

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