Television studio in Rudolfinum streams in 4K

The Dvořák Hall is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful concert halls in Central Europe, but its capacity is limited. Subscription and special concerts of the Czech Philharmonic are regularly sold out, and the same is often true of educational programmes. Not to mention that the orchestra has many fans outside of Prague who cannot enjoy its music as often as they would like.

"We already play every programme in Prague three or four times and we can't add any more dates. Our educational capacities and community work are at their maximum," says Robert Hanč, artistic director of the Czech Philharmonic. The solution to this situation is the Czech Phil Media Project.

The project covers the recording, distribution and related communication activities of the Czech Philharmonic. Its current primary concern is the operation of the new audiovisual recording studio in the Dvořák Hall of the Rudolfinum, the production of sound and visual recordings and their distribution to audiences in the Czech Republic and abroad.

Top orchestra with top technology

Regular visitors to the Czech Philharmonic concerts cannot help but notice. A couple of times a year, a cameraman settles in the middle of Dvořák Hall, microphones swarm among the musicians, the lighting changes, and maybe even the atmosphere in the auditorium changes a bit: a recording is being made.

Up to nine cameras, some on rotating robotic heads that operate in ultra-quiet mode so as not to disturb the audience in the hall, are in situ when a concert is filmed. They are manned by experts in classical music recording, with the highest quality equipment from Sony at their disposal.

It is no exaggeration to say that the one hundred and thirty-five year old Rudolfinum has become filled with hi-tech equipment. In the bowels of the Dvořák Hall, the first ever television studio in the Czech Republic capable of broadcasting in 4K resolution in HDR colour mode has been created. For lovers and connoisseurs of technology, a few details can be noted:

• The studio is equipped with seven SONY HDC-P43 broadcast 4K cameras and two SONY HDC-4300 cameras; the camera system is fully flexible - up to five cameras can be "man operated". Technocrane and other motion elements are used for selected concerts.

• The picture director uses SONY products including two four-channel recording servers. The sound department is equipped with Sequoia and ProTools recording software and Solid State Logic, Duality 72 Channel mixing consoles. Neumann, Schoeps and DPA microphones are used.

Translated into the language of the uninitiated, this means that the Czech Philharmonic is becoming a pioneer in the field of new technological formats and currently boasts technology comparable to the Berlin Philharmonic, whose digital concert hall inspired the entire project.