KLANGTHEATER (FUTURE ART LAB), MDW
A New Frontier for Education and Performance
In September 2024, the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (mdw) welcomed the installation of an Amadeus Acoustics System in its Klangtheater at the Future Art Lab. Opened in 2021, the building is a multifunctional centre for artistic research, teaching, and performance, housing departments ranging from Piano and Composition to Electroacoustics and the Tonmeister programme. Its Concert Hall, Sound Theatre, and Arthouse Cinema provide students and faculty with a space where cutting-edge education meets world-class performance.
The Klangtheater, at the heart of the Future Art Lab, presented an exciting challenge: how to create a single performance space capable of adapting to a wide variety of musical genres, performance configurations, and research applications. This is where Amadeus stepped in.
Transforming the Klangtheater
Amadeus’ solution equips the Klangtheater with fully integrated Active Acoustics and Immersive Audio systems, offering 15 carefully designed presets and 128 channels for microphones and immersive audio inputs. From speech and jazz to Baroque, choral works, and full orchestral performances, each preset was tuned to match the hall’s architecture and intended use. Highlights include:
Chamber-Enveloping & Chamber-Transparent: Create rich, immersive sound for small ensembles, with extended RT60 times and expanded spatial dimensions.
Orchestral Configurations: Multiple presets allow orchestras to perform from different stage positions (front, side, centre, or square) with concert-hall-like reverberation of around 2 seconds.
Cathedral: Transform the hall into a vast, resonant space with over 5 seconds RT60, ideal for sacred or choral works.
Immersive 3D Audio: Channels 1–64 provide external immersive input, while 65–128 handle microphone sources, giving engineers full control over spatial sound placement.
The system integrates DPA 4098 microphones and d&b 5S speakers with 18S subs, ensuring precise coverage and natural, transparent sound for both performers and audiences. Installation and tuning were led by our colleagues Benedikt Roß and Volker Werner, who ensured that each preset maximised the hall’s acoustic potential.
Education Meets Innovation
For Amadeus, education is a core mission. Ever since the Amadeus installation took place at the Klangtheater, the students of the University of Music and Performing Arts have benefitted from various workshops, such as:
Active Acoustics Recording Workshops: Students are invited to capture recordings across multiple acoustic presets, learning how the system shapes sound in real-world scenarios.
Active Measurements Workshops: Participants perform live acoustic measurements to explore how reverberation, room size, and spatial positioning affect performance and perception.
These workshops give students invaluable experience with cutting-edge acoustic technology, bridging theory and practice while preparing the next generation of acousticians, engineers, and creative professionals.
Challenges and Achievements
Designing flexible acoustics for a multifunctional educational space requires more than installing speakers. The Klangtheater’s architecture demanded careful calibration to ensure:
Smooth transitions between acoustic presets for different performance types.
Uniform sound distribution for speech, small ensembles, and full orchestras alike.
Realistic immersion in 3D audio without compromising clarity or timbre.
Through meticulous tuning and geometric modelling of reflections, Amadeus created an adaptive environment where performers and students can experiment freely, explore acoustic phenomena, and deliver engaging performances.
Shaping the Future of Acoustics
With the Amadeus Acoustics System, the Klangtheater has become a versatile, future-ready space: a laboratory for students, a stage for artists, and a venue capable of hosting performances of any scale or style. By combining advanced technology with educational outreach, Amadeus ensures that the hall’s potential extends far beyond traditional acoustics.
“The Klangtheater now offers students and artists a unique opportunity to explore acoustics in practice. Our system transforms the hall into a living instrument, adaptable to any performance or research requirement.”
– Amadeus Acoustics
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