Beyond the Screen: Champlain Students Bring Visual Magic to Symphony Performance
A stunning collaboration that merged technology, art, and classical music transformed a traditional orchestra performance into a multisensory spectacle. Once again, Champlain College students partnered with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra (VSO) to create an immersive multimedia experience, this time, in one of BETA Technologies‘ airplane hangars.
The project, spanning nearly a calendar year, united students specializing in visual effects (VFX), environment art, and programming with Vermont’s premier orchestra. The team designed synchronized visuals projected during live performances, creating a captivating visual complement to the orchestral music in the unique industrial setting of BETA’s hangar.
“We’re all coming from a very technically minded standpoint while VSO is coming from obviously a music background,” explained Game Art student Annie Granger ’25, who served as VFX artist and producer. “I think the intersection of our perspectives added a lot more to both of our work.”
For these game development majors, the project offered valuable real-world experience beyond classroom assignments. The team spent weeks practicing “without the music, alone in the airplane hangar,” as Granger described, before finally bringing all elements together for the performance.
Logan Allen ’25, a Game Art student who focused on environment art, gained experience communicating complex technical concepts to non-specialists. “You have to learn how to describe your skills and communicate things to people that aren’t well versed in it,” Allen reflected. “So that’s super valuable as well.”
Angus Goucher ’25, a Game Programming student who joined as graphics programmer and technical artist, operated the visual system during performances from beneath the projector in the hangar, manually controlling video transitions. “I sat under the huge projector in this little scaffold with Granger and Allen and had to press the keys at the right time,” he recalled.
The most memorable moment came when seeing their work presented with the full orchestra and choir in the hangar space. “Finally having the orchestra and the choir there and the audience watching it, seeing all pulled together and working so well was just such an inspiring feeling,” Granger shared.
Perhaps most importantly, the project broadened students’ career perspectives. “I kind of had this one track mind of ‘I want to do game art and get a AAA job,’” Allen admitted. “But going through this and working on a small team and creating something that was more experiential and had a more community and direct impact changed my perspective.”
The success of the VSO performance in BETA’s hangar demonstrated how technology can enhance traditional art forms while providing students with invaluable experience. As Granger advised future students considering similar opportunities: “Absolutely do it. I didn’t really know what to expect going into it, but looking back, I’m super glad I had the opportunity.”
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