USA - L-Acoustics has expanded its AVIXA Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) Renewal Unit (RU) provider status to include two new training modules.
Engineers participating in the company’s Variable Curvature Line Source (3.5 RU) or Loudspeaker System Calibration (3.5 RU) training modules - either at an L-Acoustics location or via a certified provider - will now also be able to receive CTS Renewal Units.
Etienne Corteel, director of scientific outreach at L-Acoustics, comments: “Across the globe, our L-Acoustics training programs are on track to deliver over 6,000 certifications in 2019. Expanding the AVIXA CTS offering to two of our strategic trainings is a mark of quality for the engineers who look to L-Acoustics to provide not only the highest standard in equipment, but also the highest standard in education for the professionals who design, implement and calibrate our systems around the globe.”
Variable Curvature Line Source training teaches systems engineers and designers how to optimise a line source for coverage, SPL and frequency response. It highlights key design parameters for the physical deployment and the electronic settings of a variable curvature line source. This course offers an overview of rational design methodology using Soundvision modelling and simulation software, including an introduction to the new Autosolver tools.
The newly introduced Loudspeaker System Calibration training teaches system engineers how to calibrate a loudspeaker system in a touring, rental or fixed installation project. The course covers bo

UK - Nexo will present the Geo M12 mid-size line array in a real-world production environment as part of two roadshow events held in partnership with Yamaha this summer.
Visitors will have the chance to get hands-on with the three-line array systems in the Geo M family: the new Geo 12, the Geo M10 mid-size line array, and the compact Geo M6.The Nexo system set-up will include the PM7 and PM10 Rivage digital consoles, running the Dante audio network.
On 26 June, sound engineers, rental providers and audio installation professionals will get the chance to audition the full range of Geo M high-output line arrays in Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena.
On 3 July, the location is The Mill Rehearsal Studio in Wimbledon, London. This purpose-built production studio has more than 400sq.m. of space, with a trim height of 6m for the line arrays.
Nexo and Yamaha system experts will be demonstrating the systems, and discussing a range of topics including Dante networking, system monitoring with Nexo’s proprietary NeMo tools, and integrating Yamaha consoles with NXAMP powered controllers.
To find out more about the two events and to register, please visit: nexo-sa.com/geo-m12-experience-days
Further Experience Days are currently being planned. These are set to take place in Leeds, Edinburgh and Dublin.
(Jim Evans)

South Africa - In response to popular demand, lighting designer Michael Taylor Broderick will once again present a two-day theatre lighting workshop on 19 and 20 June at DWR Distribution, Johannesburg.
Michael instils a sense of passion to those working in a theatre environment and topics include stage lighting, controllable properties of light, lighting positions and angles, light and colour, elements of design and lighting instruments.
The workshop will be held at DWR, Block C, Unit 1, Kimbult Industrial Office Park, 9 Zeiss Street, Laserpark, Honeydew. The cost is R1 700 for both days and includes lunch and refreshments. Kindly let us know if you have any dietary requirements.
Bookings can be made online.
(Jim Evans)

The Netherlands - Elation Europe will be holding a training day dedicated to Obsidian Control Systems’ Onyx lighting control platform on 3 July at the company’s European headquarters in Kerkrade.
The Onyx foundation training, running from 9:00am to 5:00pm, will take users from console start-up through software layout to patching and running a basic show, with the objective to gain confidence in patching and running a show from scratch while acquiring a basic understanding of features. Features to be covered include software layout and philosophy, patching, creating, changing and deleting groups, changing and deleting pre-sets, cue lists and chases. The cost is €150.00 (excluding VAT if applicable) and includes a NX-DMX interface for every participant. Participants should bring a laptop to run with the supplied Capture Visualiser file. 
Those wishing to attend need to register by 26 June.
(Jim Evans)

UK - Wakefield-based Backstage Academy recently presented a graduation showcase, which saw third-year students assessed across five presentations.
The students were assessed in a project-based environment, with each team working under a project manager. The event was supported by many industry partners, some of whom had arrived fresh from attending PLASA Focus Leeds.
Vice-principal Rachel Nicholson explained the idea of designing real world concepts - effectively transforming black box studio/stages into coruscating jewels - had grown out of the Live Visual Design & Production course. “It’s the first time we’ve presented the work in this fashion,” she confirms. “The team looked back at last year and decided they wanted more scope to visualise. Our live visual design course has always been project based, so we adapted that to the other courses - which seemed the most natural thing in the world to do.”
All shows had come entirely from the imagination of students, she said. “They are exploring the cutting edge of new technology and what can be done, but at the same time, it’s also a validation of the confidence placed in the students by the lecturers. Neither could we have done it without the support, passion and enthusiasm of our industry partners. The Graduation Showcase is just one day but it represents three years’ hard work.” In fact, many of those industry partners had already set up training days for students in advance, in order to build operational skills with the platforms.
The five distinct concepts, staged by s

UK - PLASA will deliver two professional development training sessions dedicated to voice alarm systems and loudspeaker installation.
Basic audio system design is taking place on 3 July (Wednesday) at White Light’s Jubilee Way HQ in London. It will be hosted by audio consultants Roland Hemming and Richard Northwood and will focus on how to calculate loudspeaker spacing, how to select suitable amplification and signal processing options, and how to document design correctly. Delegates will be able to deepen their understanding of audio theory, product types, system architecture, audio coverage and basic modelling software.
The event is ideal for live events engineers who wish to branch into the installations sector, as well as in-house AV and audio managers looking to expand their knowledge of upgrades and refurbishments.
The second workshop, A deep dive into EN54 and voice alarm will be hosted solely by Roland Hemming on 1 October at the White Light base. Attendees will learn how to select and use correct standards and will learn how to stay compliant with the Construction Projects Regulation and the relevant codes of practice. The session is recommended for audio consultants and integrators who install voice alarm systems; M&E firms who commission voice alarm work,

China - K-array's K-academy took its teachings on the road for a week of seminars throughout China in Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai that covered Large Venue Sound System Design hosted by K-array China.
At each stop, K-array China were able to give attendees a complete K-experience with product presentations and demos of its Installed Sound, Portable Systems and Concert Series lines. K-array Global president and co-founder Alex Tatini and live sound product specialist Klaus Hausherr were present to provide a detailed introduction to the Italian manufacturer's product design concept for large venues.
In particular, the K-academy trainers explained the advantages of Electronic Beam Steering, Pure Array Technology and Slim Array Technology featured in their loudspeakers from a technical perspective and included real time demonstrations using EaseFocus software based on FIRmaker for speaker tuning.
Additionally, other relevant industry experts were invited to provide an encompassing approach to sound design, including Mr. Zhu Heng, a well-known engineer in the field of architectural acoustics, who presented on the relationship between the acoustic environment and the electroacoustic system.
Beyerdynamic wireless system engineer Chen Yugong's gave a presentation which explained the necessity of frequency planning.
In Hangzhou, a K-array Concert Series set-up was on display outdoors to allow the audience experience the uniform coverage and high performance sound. And at VAS Livehouse, the site of the K-academy in Shanghai, top talent It

South Africa - After a successful dot2 training course created, hosted and taught by DWR Distribution in Johannesburg, there was a demand for the same training to take place in Cape Town. The training was brought down to the Cape by Olebogeng Boinamo from DWR.
“It was booked out with 12 people and it filled our Cape Town offices,” says Olebogeng. Each student had access to the system as there were three dot2 consoles from DWR, three of those in attendance had their own dot2s and the rest worked on dot2 on PC. This illustrates the different levels that exist in the field and the impact of the dot2 console, with avid users and newcomers both attending the course to develop their skills, because the console and related PC platform are being used so frequently in the industry.
“The students reflected the Capetonian relaxed attitude as they were eager to talk and ask questions which usually requires an ice breaker but right from the word go they were participating.”
The students were also keen to provide feedback and one noted the dot2 training was the most complete and professional training he had received so far, reflecting the dot2’s importance and Olebogeng’s passion.
(Jim Evans)

South Africa - DWR Distribution is hosting a studio lighting workshop presented by Peter Rieck on 28 May from 9am to 5pm local time.
Peter is well known in the South African industry for lighting countless studio and television productions. His easy-going nature and wealth of experience will make this a training course not to be missed.
The course will be hosted at DWR, 9 Zeiss Street, Laserpark, Honeydew. The cost is R450 and includes eats and refreshments. Bookings can be made here.
(Jim Evans)

France - Pioneer Professional Audio has invited the audio installation, rental and club sectors to attend a technical audio demo at the Djoon Club facilities on the 21 May (Tuesday).
Attendees will be able test Pioneer’s XY Series (comprising the XY-3B and XY-2 models) and experiment with the XPRS amplified speakers by bringing their own test tracks.
The XY-3B and XY-2 models are designed for fixed installations and touring. The XY series loudspeakers feature in top venues including Djoon, Fabric London, and Halcyon. The XY-3B has performed at festivals such as I Love Techno (Montpellier) ADE (Amsterdam) Ultra (Singapore) and Lovebox (London).
The XPRS active speaker range features Powersoft Class D amplifiers and comes with a seven-year warranty as standard and is designed for both audio rental companies and mobile DJs.
Spaces at the Djoon demonstration are limited, so those interested in attending must register via this link.
(Jim Evans)

UK - Backstage Academy has picked up a Educate North Award for Business/Industry Collaboration - HE/FE Sector.
Judged by an independent panel, the awards celebrate best practice and excellence in the education sector in the North of England. On Backstage Academy, the judges commented that this was “a fantastic project with clear benefits” and also felt the institution had “an innovative commercial view addressing the skills shortage and improving employability, providing great results in a thriving sector”.
Rachel Nicholson, Backstage Academy vice-principal, led the team at the official ceremony, which took place on 25 April at the Hilton Deansgate, Manchester. This was attended by over 300 education professionals from further and higher education institutions from across the north, together with a range of suppliers.
Nicholson said: “We are so proud to have won this prestigious award in such a strongly contested category. Our industry collaborations are integral to everything we do at Backstage Academy, so to be recognised for our unique approach to specialist education and training is a huge achievement for our students, staff and industry partners.”
The initiative is staged by Carm Productions, in partnership with Prolific North and Don’t Panic.
(Jim Evans)

USA/Australia - Owing to increasing demand, high-end LED processor manufacturer, Brompton Technology, has expanded its Tessera training programme, adding sessions in both the US and Australia for these very popular courses.
“We want to make sure everyone gets the best out of our products and, because of that, we’re passionate about investing in training,” says Brompton product specialist, Cesar Caceres. “In addition, we are always keen to respond to customer requests to take our courses to wherever they need it.”
The result is an expanded schedule, with its first US training session held at the end of April in Boca Raton, Florida and a further date added on 31 May in Chicago, Illinois, both led by Sean Sheridan, regional technical manager (Americas). Another first is in Australia, where Melbourne-based WooHah Productions will play host to Brompton account manager, Luke Hurford, on 8 May.
Meanwhile, the well-established UK training calendar at Brompton’s London headquarters has courses available on 22 - 23 May, 19 - 20 June and 17 - 18 July.
All Brompton training is offered free of charge, with the open sessions designed for anyone interested in learning more about how to operate Brompton’s Tessera LED processor hardware and software.
In other news Brompton recently began a co-operation with France’s Oliverdy Formation, a leading provider of industrial training for the entertainment industry. Cesar has now trained Koudzo Dalikou who leads the company’s Mur LED (LED wall) sessions and Oliverdy will now incorporate a modu

World - Yamaha is launching a new series of webinars in mid-May.
The webinars, part of the company’s Audioversity training initiative, are aimed at professional audio engineers, systems integrators and venue technicians. Each webinar will run twice, at 10am and at 5pm UTC+1, to ensure that as many participants as possible from across Europe, the Americas, Russia, Africa and the Middle East can take part. Participants must register for their preferred time slot - see links below.
The first session, to be hosted on 15 May (Wednesday) by product specialists Andy Cooper and Karl Christmas, will focus on system design using CL and QL series digital mixing consoles.
The series will continue at monthly intervals and cover a wide range of pro-level topics aimed at the live production, hospitality, house of worship, corporate installation and broadcast markets.
For those who are unable to participate, the sessions will be archived for later viewing.
“With these Audioversity webinars we have taken a new look at what we offer,” says Atsushi Kitagawa, general manager at Yamaha R&D Professional Audio (UK). “We are making them more interactive, with Q&A sessions, as well as adding interviews and other useful content.
“We want to engage with as many audio professionals around the world as possible and give our webinars much more of a face-to-face training feel. I believe that they will make a very positive difference throughout the professional sound market.”
15 May
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South Africa - The South African Roadies Association (SARA) and DWR Distribution backed recent training sessions for dot2.
The training that took place over 9-10 April was aimed at exposing new SARA trainees to the dot2 as well as exploring deeper topics for those familiar with it. The class was headed up by Olebogeng Boinamo, who was keen to impart his knowledge and skills with those in attendance.
The trainees were a group of mixed levels of experience, and Ole says the challenge to both teach to new and developed students was fun because it helps to put things in perspective for both him and the experienced students whilst teaching newer trainees. There was a difficulty level for everyone in attendance, offering an opportunity to learn and grow.
Freddie Nyathela, the president of SARA is always keen to celebrate his students. He says that the class consisted of 35 students who attended the previous class offered by DWR which points to a demonstration of the demand and success of the role training plays in shaping the industry. In addition to the returning students the excitement brought along five new students.
Nyathela adds that the dot2 training came at a useful time. “The training itself came at the right time where the students were introduced to new technologies,” he says, adding that the students “were highly motivated” and open to the skills they were gaining.
The training comprised of learning the dot2 console and the PC system including; patches, user profiles, pre-sets, effects and back up. Every student got their

UK - PLASA has revealed plans to develop a training scheme for entertainment industry professionals carrying out work on UK construction sites.
The initiative has been announced in response to changes to the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), the leading UK skills certification scheme that ensures individuals working on construction sites have the required training and qualifications for the type of work they undertake.
PLASA has warned a number of CSCS cards historically used within the entertainment technology industry are being withdrawn, including Stage Equipment Installer, Site Visitor and Related Discipline.
“Once these cards have expired, industry professionals with relevant construction training or qualifications may be able to apply for Skilled Worker CSCS cards, but many may only be able to apply for Labourer cards, which could affect their ability to work onsite without direct supervision,” says PLASA in a statement.
The Association's training scheme would be aimed at installers who need to meet CSCS requirements and do not work with electrics. It could cover disciplines such as suspension of grids, static bars, tab tracks, projection/LED screens, fixing of winches, stage equipment, control equipment and speakers, and commissioning or programming of systems.
PLASA is looking to form a working group and is urging interested individuals or companies to contact skills@plasa.org.

UK - ROE Visual and Backstage Academy have kicked of their partnership with the delivery of a batch of LED panels from the LED solutions manufacturer and two days of intensive training.
ROE Visual will sponsor Backstage Academy with several types of its LED panels, thereby providing these industry-renowned products for training purposes.
“ROE Visual has always been keen to support the industry with in-depth knowledge on LED technology in general and the use of its LED panels,” states Marina Prak, marketing manager for ROE Visual. “That’s why we offer the ROE Academy on several locations or as in-house training. The importance of knowledge transfer can’t be over-estimated. Knowing Miles for quite some years it was not difficult to start a partnership when Backstage Academy contacted us with a request for sponsoring.”
“We are pleased to be supporting Backstage Academy with ROE Visual products and look forward to host the ROE Academy at Production Park. Access to these excellent facilities is a nice add-on, it will allow us to support our UK clients and users with training activities closer to home,” comments Auke Meijer, sales director.
Providing some of the most frequently used LED panels for current events and tours will bring the students LED knowledge up-to-date with the industry standard products. ROE Visual will provide the Carbon series CB5 as well as the Black Pearl BP3 LED panels, including a complete set of hanging, stacking accessories and processors.
“With this partnership Backstage Academy continues its stra

UK - Leisuretec Distribution inspired the industry’s future bright sparks with a training day on Zero 88’s FLX / S lighting consoles. The event took place at Leisuretec’s HQ in February 2019, offering a group of home-educated students aged 13-18 the opportunity to taste the world of entertainment and theatre lighting.
Zero 88’s FLX / S lighting desks provide a simple and intuitive solution perfect for applications where the user has little lighting knowledge but needs to operate their theatre, school stage, event or production. Each desk equipped with a visualiser, the group of young people learnt how to patch and set up their stage and how to use chases, groups, cues, playbacks, colour palettes and many other features to create an effective show with wash and intelligent lighting.
“We recognise the importance of bringing young people into the industry to help it grow for the future,” said Andy Friedli, lighting sales specialist at Leisuretec. “From our experience it is rare that young people get hands-on experience with professional lighting equipment, unsighted to the possible career opportunities our industry can behold. This is our second training event for young people and we get great satisfaction from giving them a gateway into our exciting world of entertainment.”
Leisuretec also hosts training events for both their trade customers and industry professionals covering many industry topics across sound, lighting and video. See upcoming events at https://www.leisuretec.co.uk/page/teczone-events.
(Jim Evans)

South Africa - DWR Distribution is hosting dot2 training from 25-26 April 2019.
Presented by Ole Boinamo, the two-day training course will cover patching, user profiles, groups, chases, back up, tracking and will enable you to have a good understanding of the product.
Delegates are requested to supply their own dot2 console and laptop for the dot2 3D Visualizer.
The training will be hosted at DWR Cape Town, Unit 74D, 4 School Street, Platinum Junction Business Park, Milnerton, Cape Town.
Bookings on-line at: http://dwrdistribution.co.za/register/dot-2-training-april-2019/
(Jim Evans)

UK - For over a decade, Backstage Academy has been working with the South African Roadies Association (SARA) to explore the creation of a training initiative for the live events industry in South Africa. The ultimate goal of this collaboration is to establish a live events training institution based on the Backstage Academy model to provide the young people of South Africa with the skills and opportunities needed for the successful and continuing growth of the live events sector on the African continent.
In March 2019, this journey took a major step forward as Backstage Academy welcomed a VIP delegation of South African dignitaries from the Department of Culture and Arts to their campus at Production Park in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
Led by Vusumuzi Mkhize, the director general of the Department of Arts and Culture, the delegation spent four days in the UK, visiting Production Park and meeting with key stakeholders to gain an understanding of how Backstage Academy was formed and developed into the institution it is today.
The visit marked a milestone on this ambitious journey and secured the agreement of the South African government to throw their support behind SARA and Backstage Academy. This resulted in an agreement to create a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations to drive the creation of a training initiative throughout South Africa focused on the live events industry.
Mr Mkhize commented, “The Department of Arts and Culture in South Africa is excited that Backstage Academy and SARA have come on board to journey

Thailand - Waves Audio recently held a partner enablement camp at the Holiday Inn Sukhumvit in Bangkok on 25-27 March.
In support of the ongoing increase and expansion of Waves’ live and install business in the region, a three-day workshop camp was organised in Bangkok with Waves dealers from Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, India and the Middle East.
The Waves team – Mick Olesh (Waves EVP of sales & marketing), Noam Raz (live marketing manager), Michael Adams (Waves product specialist) and Ravisankar Nadiyam (regional sales manager) – was on hand contributing to the success of this event. The team led in-depth demos, product presentations and technical breakdowns pertaining to Waves MultiRack/SoundGrid, the Waves eMotion LV1 Live Mixer, using Waves plugins for studio and live sound and more.
Ravisankar remarks, “I believe that our task, and that of our partners, is to ensure that we are informing and educating the user base with what Waves solutions can contribute to them. When I planned this event, my aim was to provide our partners with accurate information and the precise tools to match their requirements. I am happy to say that I think we achieved that goal.”
Mick Olesh, Waves EVP of sales & marketing, comments, “This event was a pivotal opportunity to further strengthen Waves’ continuing and significant enthusiasm towards strengthening our valued relationship with the region’s partners. Decisively, making sure they receive the utmost in support, tools and vital hands-on experience to unde

UK - Martin Audio’s series of open days, held at the company’s High Wycombe base, enable international resellers to sample the new portfolio of products first-hand, take a factory visit, and partake in the manufacturer’s hospitality.
The opening session on day one this year, dedicated to live sound, was predictably packed, reports the company.
After MD Dom Harter had spoken about the company’s origins, Nigel Meddemmen (technical sales support) ran through the current frontline systems, starting with the point source BlacklineX series and explaining that it should be partnered with the new VIA amp range for best effect.
Moving further upmarket, the XD series offers improved quality and is aimed at the higher end of pro rental. With its rotatable horn it provides a wide range of deployment options, and visitors could clearly hear the difference, both when the XD12 and XD15, powered by the iKON iK81 amp, were run alone, and in partnership with the new SXC118 cardioid sub.
Meddemmen then moved the audience into Martin Audio’s world of Coaxial Differential Dispersion with CDD-LIVE, explaining how this powered, portable box had emanated from the original CDD installation range.
Dom Harter returned to the podium to move the focus onto the line array portfolio, and the theory behind the latest Wavefront Precision series, with its scalable resolution technology.
“Wavefront Precision has quickly become the most successful line array in our history,” notes Harter. “The scalable resolution gives more flexibility and therefore

UK - PLASA Focus Leeds has announced its line-up of seminars and speakers for this year’s event, taking place on 14-15 May at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds.
Alongside the sold-out show floor with brands from across audio, lighting, AV, and staging, the seminars and training sessions provide opportunities to pick up essential technical know-how and gain insights into notable industry developments.
A programme highlight looks to the Royal Albert Hall, which recently received a multi-million-pound audio system upgrade. Ollie Jeffery, head of production and technical at the Royal Albert Hall, and Steve Jones from d&b audiotechnik will discuss their technical process and reveal how the new system is already impacting the audience experience.
Renowned audio consultant Roland Hemming is presenting a series of seminars, kicking off with an introduction to voice alarm systems in which he unpacks the design and installation of emergency audio systems. He will then explain the position of BSI concerning standardisation of voice alarm systems and how Brexit may affect matters. Finally, Hemming will present an overview of digital audio networking, through its history to modern day standards.
Continuing on a theme, Dante return with a Level 2 training session, ideal for those already familiar with Dante. The training will cover redundancy, clocking, latency and multicast, giving attendees the skills to create more advanced systems.
Chartered engineering consultant James Eade will present two seminars on electrics. One which de

UK - Backstage Academy has been shortlisted for an Educate North Award in recognition of its industry partnerships.
Based at Production Park in Wakefield, the live event production educational facility is a finalist in the Business/Industry Collaboration HE/FE Sector - one of 19 categories. Now in its fifth year, the Educate North Awards is an awards event which celebrates, recognises and shares best practice and excellence in the education sector in the North.
In their awards submission, Backstage Academy highlighted the substantial impact their industry partnerships have on the development of their students. The institution’s partnerships take a variety of forms including product support from manufacturers of live events technology, masterclasses & specialist training from industry professionals and work placement opportunities.
“We are delighted to be recognised for our industry partnerships. Our entire ethos centres around employability, and therefore specialist industry collaboration is vital,” comments Backstage Academy industry partnerships director, Miles Marsden. “It is gratifying to be recognised for our partnerships with industry. They are central to everything we do here at Backstage.”
The Educate North Awards’ search for the region’s best university, further and higher education sectors culminates in a gala award night at the Hilton Hotel on Manchester’s Deansgate on 25 April.
(Jim Evans)