From September 26 to 28, 2019, Ilmenau is welcoming the 5th ICSA (International Conference on Spatial Audio). Hosted by Technische Universität Ilmenau via its Institute of Media Technology, the conference is organized in cooperation with Verband Deutscher Tonmeister e. V. (VDT) with the support of Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology (IDMT). ICSA 2019 takes a multidisciplinary look at audio solutions for virtual, augmented, and mixed realities, bringing together developers, scientists, users, and content creators.

“I am delighted that we at TU Ilmenau are continuing the tradition of VDT's ICSA. Matching the last two events in Graz will be a formidable challenge”, notes ICSA organizer Stephan Werner from TU Ilmenau. “With the 5th ICSA, we address current topics in the field of spatial audio with a special focus on VR and AR. This year will see contributions not only from the field of science, but also from the areas of application and content creation."

The conference features a two-and-a-half-day program of inspiring oral and poster presentations from the fields of development and scientific research into technical systems and applications. All topics are flanked by hands-on workshops and audio demonstrations. An exhibition attended by renowned companies rounds off the event.

Another highlight is the 3rd Student 3D Audio Production Competition, the results of which will be presented at ICSA 2019. The contest extends across the three categories Contemporary / Computer Music, Audio Drama / Documentary / Soundscapes, and Music Recording.

“This is the third time the Student 3D Audio Production Competition is taking place”, explains organizer Matthias Frank from the Institute for Electronic Music and Acoustics, Kunstuniversität Graz. “The number of submissions has increased again, to a total of 33. Currently, each submission is being evaluated by three of the 15 members of the international jury. The three best submissions in each category will be invited to the finals, which are held during ICSA. We have chosen Ambisonics as the production format for the competition, as it provides a set of free tools and lots of flexibility for playback on various systems.”

With immersive experience being a big part of ICSA, a further highlight is a live recording in the local church of St. Jakobus. On Friday, September 27, cantor Hans-Jürgen Freitag will conduct compositions for choir, recorder, harpsichord, and the church’s large Walcker organ. The contemplative music “Golgotha” by contemporary composer Günther Berger will be performed alongside works by J. S. Bach.

The full program of ICSA 2019 will be available online from mid-August. Ticket sales are open now.

The conference language is English.

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