Webinars

Date: 9/16/2020

Details:

Now that teams are playing in empty stadiums and arenas, how are audio and acoustic solutions adapting to improve the experience for players and audiences at home? Venues and team management are trying to balance the need for crowd noise to boost the on-field feeling while also creating a realistic effect for broadcast mixes. How are acoustics and venue sound systems being augmented to re-direct energy onto the field when most permanent stadium systems are designed to keep audio off the field? The question of home-field advantage comes into even sharper focus as a venue’s production team will have control over who gets cheered or booed, when and for how long. New solutions like app-driven experiences for remote audiences who want to send their real-time feedback are being developed. How are these temporary changes evolving as teams begin to play again? Which of these elements might have a lasting effect on the spectator experience for the long-term?


Related: Turning Around the Sound: Enhancing Crowd Experience for the Players
 

Presenter:

Willem Boning
Senior Consultant
Arup

Willem Boning is a New York-based designer working at the intersection of architecture, sound design, virtual reality and software development. 

As a Senior Consultant at Arup, Willem led the design of the Tiara, an innovative outdoor music structure at the Tippet Rise Art Center, and has done acoustical design and consulting for clients including Steinway & Sons, the Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal, the Frick Collection, the American Museum of Natural History, WeWork and Google. 

Willem is a key contributor to the SoundLab, Arup’s immersive audio simulation environment and leads Arup’s global research and development in crowd noise prediction and simulation. 

Willem received his Masters of Architecture degree from Princeton University, and previously worked with Rem Koolhaas at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture in Rotterdam and Hong Kong. 

Willem has been invited to speak about his work at various institutions and conferences, including RWTH Aachen, Rice University, PUCP Lima, Princeton University and the Auditorium Acoustics Conference, and his writing has been featured in leading academic and industry publications.

Elizabeth Valmont
PhD
Associate Principal
Arup

Elizabeth is the Los Angeles market leader for immersive entertainment that bridges many sectors: arts and culture, sport, aviation, education, government, healthcare, commercial, and infrastructure. 

She advises clients in reimagining spaces and experiences that leverage technology, entertainment and sensory immersion. 

She has worked across a range of projects since joining Arup in 2007, including the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum; Menil Drawing Institute in Houston Texas; Tower of Voices Flight 93 Memorial in Stoystown, Pennsylvania; USC Iovine and Young Hall in Los Angeles; and the Arup’s Los Angeles SoundLab+ExperienceLab.

 

Ellen Fitton
Associate Sound Designer
Sonic Designs

Ellen is a seasoned professional with a breadth of experience in recording and sound design. 

As a recording and mastering engineer, she has worked with world-class artists from pop to classical, adeptly handling the nuances of working with solo artists, large orchestral ensembles and pop bands. 

Ellen is an integral member of the sound design team, actively engaged in the planning, installation and production of shows to ensure that all aspects of the sound production succeed. 

She earned an Emmy Award as a member of the sound team on Jesus Christ Superstar and a Grammy nomination for her work on Sony’s “100 Years Soundtrack.” 

A graduate of the Tonmeister program at SUNY Fredonia and a classically trained pianist, Ellen brings her technical and musical skills to every project.

 

Daniel Gerhard
Sound Designer
Sonic Designs

Dan Gerhard, founder of Sonic Designs, is an Emmy award winning industry professional with deep experience in sound design, live mixing, television broadcast and studio recording.

Dan is the lead sound designer for Sonic Designs and is known industry wide for his uncompromising commitment to every detail of the projects he undertakes.

He has designed systems for artists from intimate theater spaces to arenas and stadiums, crafting the ideal listening experience for all caliber of artists and venues. 

His innate ability to deliver great sounding experiences, is a result of the range and depth of the shows he’s designed.

A graduate of the renowned Eastman School of Music, his sensibilities as a musician, along with a breadth of knowledge from his multi-faceted experiences, give him a unique ability not only to identify audio problems but to create real world solutions.

 

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