Wenger Highlights College Install of Active Acoustics at IAVM's VenueConnect Show

  • 07/19/16

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – How can campus performing venues stretch their acoustic potential, to better host a variety of events? Attendees to the International Association of Venue Managers’ VenueConnect show in Minneapolis, MN (July 23-26, 2016) can hear firsthand about advancements in active acoustics technology. Representatives from Wenger and Lexicon will discuss a world-premiere installation at Wartburg College in Waverly, IA, on July 25 at 11:00 a.m.

With this new system, Neumann Auditorium at Wartburg College in Waverly has been transformed from a dated, problematic facility to a showplace for Wartburg’s renowned music programs. For the first time in years, the band, orchestra and choir can put on shows like their annual homecoming and Christmas programs together in the same venue. The new active acoustics system also makes it possible to perform classical pieces composed for choir and orchestra, which had to be avoided in the past due to concerns about sound quality. With these improvements, Neumann Auditorium now offers musicians and audience members a performance like they’ve never heard before.

The new active acoustics system also offers something that traditional acoustic treatments can’t do: the creative flexibility to create music programming that simply wouldn’t be possible with conventional technology.

“You can simulate any acoustic you want. It’s virtually limitless,” says Lee Nelson, Wartburg’s director of Choral Activities. “You could create a choral/orchestral performance setting, a choral setting for cathedral performances and a setting for a piano concerto — all within the same concert if you wish. And, all settings can be stored and recalled at any time.”

The new active acoustics system has also become a selling point in the battle to attract talented student performers, events and concerts. Prior to the installation, Neumann Auditorium’s less-than-ideal acoustics were a drag on recruiting efforts, and made it impossible to host concerts by certain artists and bands.

Assumption College in Worcester, MA, recently purchased an active acoustics system, which will be installed in 2017.

Get more info on this July 25 performing arts session here.

Featured

  • Electrifying Bus Fleets

    Now is an excellent time for K-12 “yellow” school buses, college campus transportation, and public transit systems to transition to zero-emission electric buses instead of traditional gas or diesel-powered models.

  • Case Systems makerspace

    Case Systems Launches Line of K–12 Learning Spaces Installations

    Case Systems recently announced the launch of SALTO, a line of classroom fixtures and installations for K–12 learning spaces like STEM labs, art rooms, and makerspaces, according to a news release. The product line is designed to provide teachers with flexibility and adaptability, enabling them to shift between collaborative and individual learning environments.

  • Massachusetts Charter School Opens New Academic Building

    The Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School (AMSA) in Marlborough, Mass., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new academic building, according to a news release. The 17,000-square-foot space will serve as a classroom and science lab building for the student population of almost a thousand in grades 6–12.

  • zSpace Imagine Learning Solution

    zSpace Introduces Headset-Free AR/VR System

    Immersive learning company zSpace has debuted the zSpace Imagine Learning Solution, a headset-free AR/VR laptop system designed for elementary education. The all-in-one platform integrates hardware, software, and hands-on lessons to create dynamic learning experiences for young students.