Meyer Sound Elevates Education Program with Future-Focused Initiatives

Meyer Sound announces it has launched an expanded education program in 2024, coinciding with the celebration of its 45th anniversary. Founded on February 13, 1979, this milestone year for Meyer Sound signifies a renewed commitment to shaping the industry's future through global trainings, strategic partnerships, and initiatives that promote diversity, access, and inclusion in the field, the company says.

"As the pace of audio technology accelerates, Meyer Sound is strengthening its commitment to education programs, which we see as investing in the future of the industry," says Robyn Bykofsky, Meyer Sound's training and education manager. "Our training programs are aimed at all experience levels, with science-backed in-person and virtual course content that fits the way people learn today."

The 2024 program builds on the success of the company's revamped 2023 initiatives, which engaged more than 1,800 students through 50 in-person trainings around the world and through coursework in the new Meyer Sound Learning online platform.

This year, Meyer Sound is extending in-person education across the US and beyond, with trainings in Berkeley, CA; Irvine, CA; Portland, OR; Las Vegas, NV; and international events in Mexico City; Hamburg, Germany; and Derby, UK. Building on the success of 2023's pilot program, the Meyer Sound Learning platform continues to expand its offerings, including supplemental online training materials, on-demand e-learning content, and virtual instructor-led sessions.

Meyer Sound's collaborations with key industry players showcase the power of industry cooperation in nurturing artistic and technical excellence and advancing innovation, the company says.

In January, Meyer Sound held a three-day training at Clair Global for Metallica tour crew members and Clair Global staff, focusing on deploying PANTHER systems in the field. The event was organized by Metallica FOH engineer Greg Price (who provided the gear used) and Clair Global's head of education and safety, Dave Lester; and conducted by Meyer Sound director of system optimization Bob McCarthy, senior technical support specialists Josh Dorn-Fehrmann and David Vincent, and service manager, worldwide, Matt Salerno; with support from training and education manager Robyn Bykofsky and associate technical instructor Costandina Daros.

"Last year, our three companies performed a miracle in a post-pandemic touring world. We mounted the world's largest stadium in-the-round stereo set-up in less than three months from the ground up," says Dorn-Fehrmann. "This training gave us an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas and continue collaboration."

Meyer Sound is conducting specialized trainings, in cooperation with experts from Cirque du Soleil, for both the Touring Show Division and Resident Show Division, led by Richard Bugg, Meyer Sound's Digital Products Solutions Architect. Following fall workshops in Las Vegas and Monterrey, Mexico, programming continues this spring with CueSchool trainings in Berkeley and at the Kooza Big Top in San Francisco. Meyer Sound and the Cirque du Soleil audio team will co-host a three-day interactive workshop at USITT's Training Ground 2024 event for college students and graduates, taking place in Las Vegas in May.

In partnership with Venuetech, Meyer Sound conducted a System Design & Optimization public in-person training in Dubai, led by Merlijn van Veen. The event attracted professionals from four continents, highlighting the global appeal of Meyer Sound's educational offerings. Meyer Sound continues to expand its presence in the Middle East with virtual trainings in Arabic.

Meyer Sound actively engages with educational institutions including UC Irvine, University of Derby, and Full Sail University, conducting sessions, workshops, and training programs and supporting student-led theatre productions and sound design projects.

The company's commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion spotlights initiatives led by and aimed at supporting women and gender-expansive people in audio.

Highlights include November 2023's Meyer Sound Fundamentals Workshop, taught by Technical Services Specialist Sana Romanos and supported by Associate Technical Instructor Costandina Daros. The event, held at Meyer Sound's Berkeley headquarters, provided a deep dive into the physics of sound and Meyer Sound principles, toolsets, and Compass and MAPP 3D software.

Last year, the company partnered with San Francisco nonprofit Women's Audio Mission, sponsoring the organization's 20th anniversary celebration and continuing outreach in 2024 with factory tours and a Spacemap Go spatial audio workshop for WAM interns.

This spring, Meyer Sound will launch a scholarship program for women and gender-expansive people in the live sound industry. Accepted applicants receive a 100% tuition discount on Meyer Sound's public in-person trainings, with dedicated spaces in each training.

"Not only do we offer industry-leading learning resources, we strive to foster equitable access to those resources," Bykofsky explains. "We place a strong emphasis on representation, reaching out to women and gender-expansive individuals. By doing so, we're not just shaping the future of sound, but building a future where everyone's voice is heard and valued."