Welcome to How To Build A Music Venue – the podcast series which has a backstage pass to the transformation of Colston Hall in Bristol.

In this episode, we're looking at the big and important numbers. Just how many baths could be filled by the concrete poured into the foundations? How many artists do we estimate we've had on stage in our 152 years? If you laid all the bricks used on site end to end, how far would they go?

Harriet Robinson chats to project managers and site staff, our House Manager, box office staff and more to get the statistical low down on how the project is progressing.

Follow the journey on social media using the hashtag #transformthehall

Credits

Presented by Harriet Robinson

Produced by Louise Orchard, 2°West

Thank you to the contributors:

The staff of Wilmott Dixon and Colston Hall

Daniel Wood - House Manager

Nick Craney – General Manager, Colston Halll

Sarah Robertson - Director of Communications, Colston Hall

Phil Castang - Director of Creative Learning and Engagement, Colston Hall

Isabella Ley - Development Officer, Colston Hall

Frazer Riches - Technical Services Manager, Colston Hall

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Welcome to How To Build A Music Venue – the podcast series which has a backstage pass to the transformation of Colston Hall in Bristol.

In this episode, we meet the people who are actually building this thing.

Harriet Robinson chats to staff at contractors Willmott Dixon, who have been charged with the task of transforming the Hall into a venue fit for the 21st century. And there are way more jobs involved than you might expect.

From construction managers to labourers on the ground, and designers to digital engineers working behind the scenes, this is a snapshot into the variety of roles needed to make this project a reality.

What’s more, we get the team to tell us who they’d book for the opening night given the chance, with some interesting suggestions!

Follow the journey on social media using the hashtag #transformthehall

Credits

Presented by Harriet Robinson

Produced by Louise Orchard, 2°West

Thank you to the contributors:

Kimberley Sweet-Roberts – Social Value Manager, Willmott Dixon

Ryan Williams – Construction Manager, Willmott Dixon

Becky Ray – Health and Safety Manager, Willmott Dixon

Lawrence Ashby – Labourer, Willmott Dixon

Megan Wintersgill – Design Co-ordinator, Willmott Dixon

Kay Jackson – Graphic Designer, Willmott Dixon

Ashdon McFall – Digital Engineer, Willmott Dixon

Find out more about the transformation: www.colstonhall.org/transformthehall

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Welcome back to our new-look podcast - How To Build A Music Venue - the series which has a backstage pass to the transformation of Colston Hall in Bristol.

In this episode, and in the wake of the climate crisis, we look at turbo charging our sustainability ambitions and how the venue can go carbon neutral. That's right, in October 2019 the Hall was the first concert venue in the UK to announce its ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030.

Harriet Robinson chats to Rosa Corbishley, Development Director at the Hall, about the ambition, as well as Tim Westwell, co-founder of Pukka Herbs and newly appointed board member who will be championing the creation of a sustainability plan for the Hall.

What's more we hear from Emma Bombonato from Sydney Opera House about how they became the first carbon neutral concert venue in the world, and their role as international sustainability advisors to the Hall, and Alex Roberts, Senior Sustainability Manager with the Hall's carbon neutral contractor Willmott Dixon.

Follow the journey on social media using the hashtag #transformthehall

Presented by Harriet Robinson

Produced by Louise Orchard, 2°West

Thank you to the contributors:

Rosa Corbishley – Development Director, Bristol Music Trust

Tim Westwell – Co-founder of Pukka Herbs and BMT Board Member

Emma Bombonato – Environmental Sustainability Manager, Sydney Opera House

Alex Roberts – Senior Sustainability Manager, Willmott Dixon

Read the carbon neutrality press announcement here: http://bit.ly/2MhBqdo

Find out more about the transformation: www.colstonhall.org/transformthehall

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Step One.

Take one music venue in the south west of the UK.

Step Two.

Carefully remove the artists, stage managers and production staff.

(If you haven’t removed the audience by this point, then do so now).

Then remove the seats (use the enclosed allen key for this), stage, lighting rig, trusses and PA.

Take down the balcony (yep, the whole thing), staircases, doors and dressing rooms.

Then remove all the signs, the floor and the roof.

Keep going until you have taken everything out.

Now remove the name. (Yes, the name).

Step Three.

Meticulously pack away the historical artefacts and millions of memories, ensuring you hold on to those iconic music moments.

Step Four.

Stop. Take a step back. What next? 

How do you build a music venue, almost from scratch?

Colston Hall in Bristol is undergoing a multi-million pound transformation, the largest capital programme ever to take place in the south west of the UK.

In this podcast series we discuss the highs and lows, the pains, the gains and the complicated decisions we’ve taken as an organisation during this transformation. We also explore the philosophy that envelops this project; one that focuses on inclusion, education and participation, without ever losing sight of the music. Hear from the countless experts driving this renovation forward: acousticians, leading musicians, architects and many, many more…

Join us on the journey as we #transformthehall

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In episode 6 of the podcast we focus on the heritage that is being uncovered at the Hall during the redevelopment.

Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, our heritage projects are revealing and bringing to life the history of the Hall.

We hear from NLHF Project Co-Ordinator Ella Kenny about the musical heritage of the venue and how we’re asking families and communities to share their memories, as well as archivist Louise Anderson about what artefacts have been uncovered so far – including a time capsule from 1951.

We speak also to architect Axel Burrough about the distinctive Bristol Byzantine architecture of the Hall, and Bristol’s own Lady Nade gives us a beautiful rendition of Suffragette Vera Holme’s poem – The Last Chord – composed to commemorate her disruption of a political meeting at the Hall in the fight to win the vote for women.

Presented by Harriet Robinson

Produced by Louise Orchard, 2°West

Thank you to the contributors:

Ella Kenny - Community, Learning & Volunteering, Bristol Music Trust

Louise Anderson – Archivist

Axel Burrough – Architect, Levitt Bernstein

Lady Nade – Musician

Further reading: Discover more about Vera Holme: https://buff.ly/2LOVRQ1 Find out more about our community work: https://buff.ly/315Hr1c See what we're building in our project to #transformthehall https://buff.ly/318F5i2

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Why should we teach music in schools? How can music help people with dementia? What has a concert hall got to do with hip-hop?

Bristol Music Trust is not only embarking on an ambitious physical transformation of Colston Hall, but is also on a mission to ensure the power of music is shared by everyone. Harriet Robinson chats to Phil Castang, our Director of Learning and Engagement, about the Trust’s role in running the city’s music education hub – responsible for delivering music education through schools and music centres across the city, and the impact that work can have. She also meets Julia Roderick to discuss how over the next two years of transformation, the Hall is developing ambitious new projects that will ensure that young and old alike in Bristol’s communities are able to engage their passion for music, including in settings such as hospitals and libraries. And finally, Harriet meets Solomon O.B, who explains how through the Hall’s Multi-Track programme, he has been supported to develop as a rising spoken-word and hip-hop artist.

Presented by Harriet Robinson

Produced by Louise Orchard, 2°West

Thank you to the contributors: Phil Castang – Director of Creative Learning and Engagement, Colston Hall

Julia Roderick – Community, Learning & Volunteering, Colston Hall

Solomon O.B – Musician

Further reading: The power of music: Vicky McClure’s dementia choir https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-48124591

Find out more about Bristol Plays Music, our music education hub, here: https://www.bristolplaysmusic.org/

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In this episode, we discuss what’s happening on site right now. Project Manager for DSM Demolition Will Scriven talks us through the process of taking apart a concert hall while looking after the Grade II listed architecture. Todd Wills, Artistic Director, explains how we’re continuing to keep the music playing throughout this transformative time by working directly with venues and artists to bring the best new talent to the city. We also meet music fan and epic gig-goer Emma Champion, who attended 79 gigs last year, about what live music means to her and what she is looking forward to when the Hall reopens. Enjoy!

Presented by Harriet Robinson

Produced by Louise Orchard, 2°West

Thank you to the contributors:

Todd Wills – Artistic Director, Colston Hall

Will Scriven – Project Manager, DSM Demolition

Emma Champion – Colossal live music fan!

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In this third episode, we discuss our ambition to build a venue with gold-standard levels of accessibility for both audiences and performers. We hear from architect Mark Lewis about how the designs for the transformed hall mean backstage areas and stage access, as well as front of house areas, are being designed with access for all as a priority. But that’s only the beginning. We also hear from Siggy Patchitt – Head of the new National Centre for Inclusive Excellence programme at Bristol Music Trust – whose aim is to ensure that opportunities for advanced music training are available to all, no matter disability or background. Conductor Charles Hazlewood talk to us about the pioneering work of the British Paraorchestra and musician Charlotte Bott tells us of her experience as a disabled musician and how the industry needs to change in order for everyone to have the opportunity to express their talent.

To find out more about the work of the National Centre for Inclusive Excellence and watch a short film, please visit: www.colstonhall.org/ncie

Presented by Harriet Robinson

Produced by Julia Hayball and Louise Orchard, 2°West

Thank you to the contributors:

Siggy Patchitt – Head of the National Centre for Inclusive Excellence, Bristol Music Trust

Mark Lewis – Architect, Levitt Bernstein

Charles Hazlewood – Founder of The British Paraorchestra

Charlotte Bott – Musician

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In this second episode, we discuss one of the most complex decisions taken so far - the decision to reopen the transformed hall with a new name. For many years the Hall has been the lightning rod for a debate on the legacy of the slave-trader and philanthropist Edward Colston. Built 146 years after his death, Edward Colston was not a benefactor to the Hall and there is no material connection with the man or his wealth, and when we reopen it will be with a name that reflects our values as a progressive, forward-thinking and open arts organisation. We talk to our Chief Executive Louise Mitchell, former Trustee and venue owner Marti Burgess, artist Savinder Bual, and children at Cotham Gardens Primary School about the decision and the impact it is having in the city.

To find out more and to have your say on the future vision of the Hall, including it's name, please visit our Together Through Music page here: https://buff.ly/2zR8Qbi

To find out more about The Pineapple Project, click here: https://buff.ly/2Tcbh0X

Presented by Harriet Robinson

Produced by Julia Hayball and Louise Orchard, 2°West

Thank you to the contributors:

Louise Mitchell – Chief Executive of Bristol Music Trust

Marti Burgess – Former Trustee and music venue owner

Savinder Bual – Artist

The children of Cotham Gardens Primary School

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Welcome to the podcast – our series that gets backstage and under the floor boards of the largest capital arts programme ever to take place in the South West. Over the next two years, Colston Hall will undergo a multi-million transformation that will ensure Bristol has a world class concert venue of international significance at the heart of the city.

In this first episode, we discuss one of the most important aspects of the transformation – ensuring the new auditorium sounds amazing. Every decision about the new hall is being made with the venue’s acoustics in mind and making sure that how the hall sounds is always being considered in the design and build process.

We talk to journalists, conductors, building managers and of course acousticians about what goes into making a concert hall sound astonishing. --

Presented by Harriet Robinson

Produced by Julia Hayball and Louise Orchard, 2degreeswest

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Thank you to the contributors:

Oliver Condy – Editor of BBC Music Magazine

Emily McGeehin – Acoustician at Sound Space Vision

Charles Hazlewood – Founder of The British Paraorchestra

Nick Craney – General Manager of Colston Hall

Find out more about our transformation here: https://www.colstonhall.org/transform-the-hall/

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