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

  • sapling sprouting from a cracked stone

    Lessons in Resilience: Disaster Recovery in Our Schools

    Facility managers play a pivotal role in how well a school weathers and recovers from a crisis. Whether it's a hurricane, a flood, a tornado, or a man-made event, preparation determines resilience.

  • Construction Begins on East Austin CTE-Focused High School

    The Del Valle Independent School District recently announced that construction has begun on a new CTE-focused high school in Austin, Texas, according to a news release. Del Valle High School will measure in at 473,338 square feet and have the capacity for 2,400 students.

  • Geometric abstract school illustration

    How Design Shapes Learning and Success

    Can the color of a wall, the curve of a chair, or the hum of fluorescent lights really affect how a student learns? More schools are beginning to think so.

  • Illinois District Boosts Security at High-School Stadium

    Richmond-Burton Community High School in Richmond, Ill., recently announced that it has completed the redesigned entrance to its high school stadium with a new focus on school security and community engagement, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects and Engineers on the project as part of District #157’s year-long facilities master plan.

Digital Edition