Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

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

  • RIT Saunders College of Business – Lowenthal Hall Addition

    RIT Saunders College of Business – Lowenthal Hall Addition

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. RIT Saunders College of Business's Lowenthal Hall Addition has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Cal Poly Humboldt Starts Construction on Healthcare Education Hub

    California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata, Calif., recently announced that work has begun on a renovation project that will turn the Stewart Building into a new Healthcare Education Hub, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Sundt Construction Inc. for construction services.

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.

  • Year-Round Schools Require Year-Round Indoor Air Quality Planning

    While many schools are out for the summer, year-round schools follow a more “balanced” schedule with shorter, more frequent breaks spaced throughout the school year. Even though this offers educational benefits, these facilities have less downtime for building maintenance. This can become an issue when facilities managers overlook the importance of routine HVAC maintenance and air duct cleaning services.