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Martin Audio WPM system chosen for Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

Set against the scenic backdrop of the Berkshire Hills in Becket, Massachusetts, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival is America’s longest-running international dance festival. To support its lineup of international choreographers and artists, the Festival’s Ted Shawn Theatre has been equipped with a Martin Audio sound system.

Designed around Martin’s Wavefront Precision WPM Series line arrays, the system was specified and supplied by New Jersey-based Audio Inc. “This is the first year we’ve taken on full production in the venue”, says Stephan Wojtecki, Head of Audio at Audio Inc., who, together with Operations Manager Edward Tolve, decided to choose WPM.

For the Ted Shawn Theatre deployment, the team performed a complete system redesign, modelling the space top-to-bottom using Martin Audio’s Display software. The ultimately specified system comprises six WPM cabinets per side, supplemented with a flown SXC115 cardioid subwoofer in each array.

To address a challenging rear mezzanine - where the front-of-house audio mix position is also located - Audio Inc. deployed a pair of Martin Audio Torus T820 constant curvature arrays as delay positions, while compact FlexPoint FP6 cabinets serve as front infills. The entire system is powered by six Martin Audio iKon multi-channel amplifiers running over a Dante network.

With their system design, Audio Inc. has been able to solve long-standing coverage issues. “The top of the steeply-raked rear mezzanine is where they had the biggest coverage problems”, explains Wojtecki. “The Torus T820s filled in very nicely in the software. When we did our final tuning, we watched the Smaart traces as we blended in the delays and they filled in the gaps perfectly. Overall we have it down to a 3dB variation from front to back.”

The stage monitoring package is designed to fulfil the high-energy demands of the performers. Audio Inc. specified four Martin Audio CDD-Live 8 coaxial differential dispersion speakers per side, paired with compact SX212 subwoofers, alongside Martin Audio XE500 floor wedges when “throw-and-go” capabilities are required.

“The rear-rejection of the WPM array is helpful for a proper dance monitor setup”, notes Wojtecki. “Because of that rejection, it feels like you have two separate systems: one for the stage and one for the audience, working together to create a linear field. That was one of the biggest appeals to them - having proper coverage on stage that sounds voiced identically to what the audience hears out front.”

As for the tuning process, he adds: “All I had to do was time-align everything and apply a tiny bit of corrective EQ on the delays and front fills. If you measure the room correctly and input the exact data into the Display software, the results just work, especially in single-box resolution.”

While the system design setup primarily stays consistent throughout the Festival, WPM allows the team to adapt to specific rider demands. “The Akram Khan Company have a specific ‘mountain’ scenic element on stage from which the sound needs to be localised”, says Wojtecki. “We added an additional centre WPM array and delayed the entire PA back to that spot. We also supplemented the low-end with two additional SX118 subwoofers on each side for the immense soundtrack of the production.”

Christopher Marc, Jacob’s Pillow Audio Supervisor, adds: “As Jacob’s Pillow grows as an organisation to facilitate and support all kinds of dance, this investment signifies a huge lift in support for that mission, and the idea that live sound and design is a significant part of dance.” And engineer Mads Hamilton states: “I could not be happier with the system and the team that has worked alongside us to install it.”

Wojtecki concludes: “We’ve built our Martin Audio inventory to the point where we have almost the full line now: CDD, FlexPoint, Torus, and Wavefront Precision. The business just keeps growing, and Jacob’s Pillow is a demonstration of this. It has been a rewarding experience to see the system and our team deliver so successfully for this event.”

(Photo: Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Inc./Hannah Murphy Photography)

www.martin-audio.com

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