Plenty of students listen to classical music while studying, but did you ever think you’d get the chance to hear it live while getting some work done?

Penn State’s School of Music is calling for 400 volunteers to simply sit in the newly-renovated Esber Recital Hall and enjoy the stylings of individual musicians and ensembles while the venue is tuned.

You can bring a book, tablet, magazine, silenced phone or laptop and listen to different genres of music while acousticians put the finishing auditory touches on the hall.

The renovation of the recital hall, approved in May 2017, transformed the hall into a “vineyard seating” space in order to create a more intimate setting for performances. Its new design also allows for the natural circular distribution of sound waves throughout the hall, and an all-around improvement of the room’s sound quality.

To determine the best placement for the hall’s acoustic banners, acousticians need actual bodies to fill the space to create a realistic setting for a concert. The banners will be adjusted depending on the type of music performed.

Here is the schedule of musicians and ensembles who will perform during the two-day sound session:

Tuesday, October 30

6-6:30 p.m. — String Quintet
6:30-6:45 p.m. — Piano soloist
6:45-7:15 p.m. — Individual singers with piano
7:15-7:45 p.m. — Jazz Combo (David Stambler), amplified using house system
7:45-8:15 p.m. — Jazz Combo (Marko Marcinko), amplified using house system

Wednesday, Oct. 31

1:30-2:05 p.m. — Concert Choir (Chris Kiver) 
2:30-3:10 p.m. — Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Dennis Glocke)
3:35-4:05 p.m. — Chamber Orchestra (Gerardo Edelstein)
4:30-5 p.m. — Centre Dimensions, Jazz (Marko Marcinko), no amplification