The venue makes an excellent recording and livestream space. Noise interference is minimal, SJE being set well back from Iffley Road and joined on the far side by a cloister leading to a small theological college.
On-site parking adjacent to the church allows for easy load-in of equipment.
Recordings generally take place at the east end of the church with the sacristy as a convenient and comfortable control room. Both church and sacristy are centrally heated and modern washrooms are close by. In addition, B&B accommodation is often available in the college at special rates for recording engineers, producers and performers.
The SJE piano is a Steinway concert grand (D 582241). It is serviced annually by Steinway and maintained by Joseph Taylor of Joseph Taylor Pianos.
Demountable staging is available for recordings, if required. The Steinway is fixed to a 40cm-high wheeled platform, which can be incorporated into a larger stage.
Some thoughts on SJE as a recording venue:
‘SJE is a fantastic place to record. It has a lovely acoustic that works well for lots of different ensembles and music styles. Its proximity to central Oxford is very convenient but it’s set back far enough from the road that noise interruptions are minimal. The in-house Steinway D Piano is superbly maintained & the technician, Joe Taylor, always ensures it’s in great condition for demanding recordings, be that solo piano or as part of an ensemble. The admin team take excellent care of all the logistics with superb professionalism which ensures a nice smooth process from booking the venue through to managing any niggles that might arise during sessions. I can’t recommend the venue highly enough.’ Dave Rowell, Recording Engineer, FiLO Classical
Livestreams
The church has been used for live streaming of concerts and performances by the BBC, Oxford Lieder Festival, Steve Hogarth of Marillion, and others. There is a reliable and consistent 100mb ethernet connection which can be delivered to the sacristy as a control room, or (by means of cabling) to the far end of the church.
To discuss hiring the church for a recording or livestream, please contact Michèle Smith, tel. +44 1865 599664, e: michele.smith@ssho.ac.uk
