Moved by Music

A concert held last fall in Slee B1 set a new sonic standard for the venue: It was the first to make use of a newly installed Meyer Sound spatial audio system. This cutting-edge upgrade allows listeners to experience sound from every direction, bringing Slee in line with a select group of performance halls worldwide.

In addition to expanding the listening experience for audiences, the system opens creative territory for students, allowing them to record real-world sounds, design electronic compositions, and explore the artistic and philosophical aspects of spatial music—direction, immersion and dimensionality.

“It’s definitely a completely different environment than we’re used to,” says Francisco Corthey, a PhD candidate in composition. “We’re used to having the music right in front of us, but here, you’re immersed in the sounds. And that opens up a bunch of possibilities.”

Future plans include installing immersive video technology, adding screens and projection paint for visual media, creating flexible seating configurations and expanding the space’s use across departments.

At that first concert, which featured new works by student composers, Nina Young, a Slee Visiting Professor of Music, encouraged audience members to move around to discover how perspective and position alter what they hear. As she proclaimed: “This is a really beautiful way of making music.”