UK-based modular synthesiser company AJHSynth has been commissioned by Hans Zimmer to custom build The RadioPhonic, a one-of-a-kind supersynth that will take centre stage at a new sound studio being created on the original site of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop at London’s Maida Vale Studios.

The studio is part of a multi-million-pound refurbishment following the sale of the complex to a partnership that includes Zimmer – who has now given the green light to AJHSynth to produce a limited number of further RadioPhonics, the first of which is being launched at Superbooth24 in Berlin,

Among the largest music universities in the world, the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (mdw) operates more than nine locations across Vienna, with courses for various instruments, conducting, music education, performing arts and audio engineering.

Recently, the university and Lawo collaborated on the installation of a Lawo mc²56 MkIII audio production console with the A__UHD Core in the mdw’s Tonregie 1 studio, which is now being used to both train students and for daily productions.

Among the most exciting acts currently on the Italian music scene, Coez & Frah Quintale’s album Lovebars recently saw them selling out arenas throughout the country. They chose to use immersive audio for the shows, pairing L-Acoustics’ L-ISA spatial audio with the L Series line array for the first time.

‘The use of L-ISA was a huge upgrade in terms of spatialisation, focus, sound impact and sound definition,’ says Sound Designer Valerio Motta, who worked to help adopt the two technologies. ‘Adding L Series was the icing on the cake. L2 is a huge advance in many ways – small footprint, easy to rig and low weight which is crucial for several hangs in an immersive configuration.’

Milan-based renowned pianist, composer and sound recordist, Andrea Manzoni is part of a movement aiming to redefine the musical landscape with an approach that blurs the boundaries of traditional music styles. He recently made a transformative journey into Icelandic wilderness for the sound design of Qivittoq, a theatrical production set in the North Pole of a world rapidly depleting its resources.

Working from a draft script from the director, Manzoni secured a 30-day residency in the remote town of Isafjordur in the Westfjords, in order to make 12 excursions to locations devoid of human presence. Here, he was to capture raw environmental sounds with shotgun mics.

Early March saw sound designer Simon Honywill using TiMax SoundHub and TiMax TrackerD4 performer stagetracking to bring spatial treatment to the Paraorchestra performance of The Nature of Why.

Composed by Will Gregory and choreographed by Caroline Bowditch under the artistic direction of conductor Charles Hazelwood, the production is an interpretation of the interview with physicist Richard Feynman asks in empirical terms why certain physical properties occur. Performed within the confines of a 14m circular space on the Lyric Stage at Theatre Royal Plymouth, with 100-120 audience members mingling amongst the players and dancers for each performance this is the first occasion that it has called on TiMax spatialisation.