Kicking off at Erfurt Domfest, TiMax SoundHub and TiMax Tracker brought Tosca to glory with rental partners Neumann and Muller. Switching from the traditional to the ultra-modern, the next role for TiMax was at the opening ceremonies of Switzerland's ground-breaking, Gotthard Tunnel. With world leaders in attendance, Basel-based audiopool provided sound production and put TiMax Tracker to work imaginatively, but most atypically, as a visual cueing aid to manage audio localisation down the length of the elongated arena.
TiMax was specified in the most picturesque locations: Switzerland's large-scale Thunersee Festspiele with its stunning Swiss lakeside backdrop, mobilized TiMax for the Hollywood classic of Some Like It Hot, re-named Sugar for this production. At the Grafenegg Wolkenturm with its architecturally breathtaking stage and picturesque parkland setting, it was the classical that was warmed by TiMax. The Midsummer Nights prelude and following season of premier orchestral and operatic concerts were transparently reinforced with TiMax spatial amplification.
The most unusual performances also notoriously seek out TiMax and this summer yet again has proven no exception. In Besel, Netherlands, TiMax was called upon to assist with the seven-yearly revival of Draak Steken. The arena-scale extravaganza sees the whole town's residents bring to life the legend of George and the Dragon, complete with the slaying of a TiMax Tracker stalked giant fire-breathing dragon.
Back in the UK, an ethereal symphony of music and 40,000 bees emerged from Wolfgang Buttress's Milan Expo2015 The Hive art installation, which is now installed for two years in Kew Gardens. Be Play One, a TiMax-spatialised performance version of the soundscape, with live musicians and audio samples of 40,000 bees, has toured Glastonbury, Blue Dot, End Of The Road and Down By The River summer festivals.
On familiar territory as an annual mainstay, TiMax saw its 10th year at the Basel Tattoo, and was also in place at the Edinburgh Tattoo for its 16th year running, performing the vital role of managing musical timings and imaging for multiple amplified marching audio sources and playback.
(Jim Evans)
