O C T O B E R 2 0 1 2 I N T E R N AT I O N A L N E W S

WENGER INTERNATIONAL PARTNER NEWSLETTERIn this month’s newsletter, we are delighted to bring you the newest internationalCASE STUDY for the custom acoustical shell project Wenger completed with TAISM – the American International School in Muscat (Oman) earlier this year.

The challenge: to create an acoustical solution for a theatre/performing arts centerin a K-12 international school by collaborating with the owner and project team fora beautiful, yet fully functional solution.

Thanks to Paula Ulrich for her work to sell and coordinate this fabulous project!More information and photos about the TAISM project are found on Pages 4 and 5.

Good selling! Nancy Wagner, Director International Sales

P.S. Don’t forget to check out our new website at www.wengercorp.com!!

THANKS FOR THE COMMENTS RECEIVED ON OUR INTERNATIONALNEWSLETTER FROMWENGER’S PARTNER IN CENTRAL AMERICA“The International PartnerNewsletter Wenger sendsevery month encourages me to keep working hard for my goals.

I want to give Wenger specialthanks for the valuable effortyou make to send theNewsletter. It is a valuabledocument that helps memanage the clients in my territory.”

Sent via e-mail fromCarlos E. Galvez, Gerente General, Acoustic Projects S.A. deC.V., El Salvador

Gracias, Carlos! Un granabrazo!

BRIEF FACTS ABOUT THEREPUBLIC OF EL SALVADOR• Population 7 million• Independence Day Sept 15

(from Spain in 1821)• US $ is currency• Country is about the

size of the US state Massachusetts

WENGER’S CUSTOM CAPABILITIES FOR A “FLOWN DIVA®” TOWERRecently, Wenger International was invited to the DIVA® manufacturing area to see ademonstration of a “flown wall” sample that Mark Ingalls, Wenger’s Product Managerfor custom acoustical shells, was working on for a US customer.

To provide some background: some customers may not have adequate room on stageto allow for a full DIVA® tower, so Wenger offer alternatives, such as towers with foldablebases, DIVA® panels that attach directly to the wall or in this case, a “flown wall.” Thismeans that the rigging is used to lower the Diva ® wall directly into the performance orstorage position.

After the performance, the flown towers are usually stored off-stage or even in the loft.

The picture below illustrates what a flown towerwall might look like, suspended from riggingcable. Imagine five, six or seven towers in a“row” and one can imagine seeing a full-stageDIVA® shell from the customer’s perspective,sitting in the audience. The acoustical propertieswill be the same as a standard DIVA® tower; justthat the application is different, not the function.

Wenger prides itself that we can offer such custom alternatives to our performing arts

customers. This service helps differentiate Wenger from our competitors and offers a unique sales advantage to our Wenger partners who sell our technical theatre products.

Let our engineering and design department, along with our sales representatives,Sherrie Ulrich and Paula Ulrich, help solve these challenges for your customer!

“Flown Diva® Example”

I n t e r n a t i o n a l N e w sBLACK CAT MUSIC (UK) DEMONSTRATES ITS POWER OF MARKETING THEWENGER BRAND Wenger’s Master Distributor in the UK, Black Cat Music, recently provided Wenger with a comprehensive list of themany trade shows and exhibitions that they participate in to sell, promote and market Wenger in the UK and Europe.Says Alice Dagger, Black Cat’s Marketing Manager, “We've had a busy Spring and we have a busy Autumn ahead.” Ourthanks to Alice for this information and the fabulous photos!

March 2012, Musikmesse, Frankfurt, GermanyBlack Cat Music attended the Musikmesse in March and set up a hectic schedule of meetings with international resellers.

April 2012, ISM (Incorporated Society of Musicians Conference)We exhibited here in April. The conference was at St. Luke’s, the home of the London Symphony Orchestra. Black CatMusic was able to renew important relationships with orchestras, including the LSO themselves.

May 2012, MMA (Music Masters & Mistresses Association) We exhibited at this conference at the Rugby School (UK). It is a good conference for keeping in touch with many of our corecustomers from UK independent schools.

June 2012, FMS (Federation of Music Services) We exhibited at FMS in June, renewing existing relationships with state school music services. This was also a good opportunity to learn more about how the Music Hubs are going to work in practice.

June 2012, Kent SoundHub Conference (run by Kent UK Music Service)We exhibited and attended as delegates to renew brand awareness among Kent (UK county)music teachers. Although budgets will be stretched, an increased emphasis on gives us aselling opportunity for Wenger products.

August 2012, ABCD (Association of British Choral Directors) ConventionHeld at Leeds Metropolitan University (UK), Black Cat will be exhibiting at this convention - thiswas good last year for promoting Wenger Tourmaster choral risers and the Conductors' stands.

September 2012, SAME (Scottish Association of Music Educators) ConferenceWe will be exhibiting here for the first time in Stirling University, as we have observed agrowing interest from Scottish music educators and want to expand Wenger’s presence inthe Scottish market.

October 2012, NAME (National Association of Music Educators) ConferenceWe will be exhibiting in Staffordshire to renew our relationships with UK state school music teachers.

November 2012, Deutscher Orchestertag (Orchestra Day), Berlin, GermanyWe will be exhibiting in Germany to keep up the momentum of interest from German orchestra managers.

January 2013, ABO (Association of British Orchestras) ConferenceWe will be exhibiting at the home of the Opera North next year to maintain strong relationships with UK orchestra managers.

Black Cat Music has also just signed up for Platinum Sponsorship (including a large exhibition stand) at the new Music Education Expo taking place March 2013 at the Barbican Centre, London. Reports Alice Dagger: “This is an exciting marketing activity as the Music Education Expo is a large new exhibition and conference for music educationalists. Black Cat Music hopes that by being at the forefront of this major new initiative, we can really stamp our brand and the Wenger brand across the UK education market”.

Alice Dagger and Teresa Rogers,Sales Manager

Alice Dagger and Martin Loft, Technical Sales Executive

Black Cat’s booth at the June FMSConference in the UK

I n t e r n a t i o n a l N e w sJUST SOME OF THE INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS WENGER IS WORKING ONAROUND THE WORLD…….

CHINA Working together with Wenger’s technical consultant partner in China, HOAC®, we are close to closing on a project for a DIVA® shell for the Harbin Grand Theater which will consist of a large theater with 1500 seats. Harbin, located in the northernmost province of China, is famous for its annual Ice Festival.

Wenger is also working with HOAC® on another DIVA® project in the city of Kunshan in Jiangsu provence (close to Shanghai). The population of Kunshan is 1.6 million and is home to several large multi-national manufacturers, such asFoxConn, which sub-contracts for Apple and makes Ipods, Ipads and Iphones.

For both projects, Wenger and HOAC® are working with one of China’s premier rigging companies. The Kunshan project will be installed in early 2013.

MALAYSIAWenger’s Asia-Pacific Sales Representative, Sherrie Ulrich, worked for several yearson a DIVA® shell for an international school based on the island of Penang in Malaysia

that finally came to fruition earlier this year.

The school, known by its abbreviation as “POWIIS” or Prince of Wales Island International School, is a British-style secondary school for children aged 11 to 18.

It is Wenger’s first custom acoustical shell installation in the Republic of Malaysia.

WENGER JOINS THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR MUSIC EDUCATIONWenger is proud to announce its new affiliation with the ISME, a worldwide organisation thatseeks to celebrate the diverse ways that people engage with, and develop in and through, music.

Founded in 1953, ISME represents a network of international professionals who strive to understand and promotemusic learning. The Gibson Foundation and the NAMM Foundation are key sponsers of this organization and provide education and develop programs to advance music and the arts.

For more information on this organization, go to www.isme.org

CHALLENGECreate custom acoustical solution for theatre/performing arts center in K-12 international school.

WENGER SOLUTIONCollaborating with owner and project team to design and manufacture full-stage acoustical shell and auditorium wall panels.

BENEFITS • Enhancesacousticalenvironment • Inspiresexcellentmusicianship• Complementstheatrearchitecture • Facilitatesdifferentshellconfigurations• Provideseasysetupandhandling

8 0 0 - 4 W E N G E R ( 4 9 3 - 6 4 3 7 ) • w e n g e r c o r p . c o m

THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MUSCAT, OMANPROJECT CASE STUDY

“ The Diva shell surrounds you with a natural warmth…it’s a very fulfilling experience. As a performer, projection requires less effort; your energy starts going toward being more musical. Pianissimos are truly pianissimos, and fortes truly are fortes.”

– Kevin Schafer Director

DIVA® FULL-STAGE ACOUSTICAL SHELL

DIVA® FULL-STAGE ACOUSTICAL SHELL

8 0 0 - 4 W E N G E R ( 4 9 3 - 6 4 3 7 ) • w e n g e r c o r p . c o m

© 2012 Wenger Corporation, Printed in the U.S.A./7-12/2M/W/LT0358A

HIGHLIGHTS“Whenplanningournewtheatre,ourfirstcallwastoWenger,”recallsTim Willson,InstrumentalMusicTeacherattheAmericanInternationalSchoolofMuscat(TAISM)inMuscat,Oman,locatednearSaudiArabiaandthePersianGulf.ConfidenceinWengerwasrootedinalonghistory.“I’vepurchasedWengerequipmentforoverthirtyyearsformusicprogramsaroundtheworld,”Willsonexplains.“I’velearnedtotrustthequalityanddurabilityoftheproductsandtheprofessionalismandintegrityofthepeopleatWenger.”Willson,whoservedasTAISM’sprojectmanagerforthetheatreconstruction,saidacousticswereatoppriority,inpartbecausetheyknewchangeswouldbedifficultlater.Wengeragreedtosupplythefull-stageacousticalshellandrecom-mendedtheinvolvementofanacousticalconsultantandtheatredesigner.Afterevaluation,TAISMselectedThresholdAcousticsandSchulerShook.ThetheatreanditsinteriorweredesignedbyarchitectNavjitSinghMatharu,thePrincipalDesignerandOwnerofA+DCanadainToronto.HishistorywithTA-ISMbeganwithdevelopingtheschool’smasterplanin2000;heisalsothedesignarchitectforentireschoolcampusdevelopment.TheoverallvisionfortheTAISMcampus,whichcurrentlyenrolls725studentsfromover50nationalities,calledforanarchitecturalstyleblendinglocalArabicinfluenceswithmodernelements.The522-seattheatre,calledtheBoschCenterforthePerformingArts,includesinteriorfinishesofwood,stone,fabricandglass,designedforacousticalsupport,visualinterestandlowmaintenance.

Building TeamworkFromthestart,successfulteamworkwasahallmarkofthisproject.MichaelDiBlasi, PartnerwithSchulerShookMinneapolis,praisedtheworkingrelationship betweenhisfirmandbothTimWillsonandKevinSchafer,TAISM’sDirector.“Weallhadalotofconfidenceineachother,andwechallengedeachotherondifferentideasandoptions,”DiBlasistates.“Theschoolwantedagreatfacilitythatcouldreallynurturestudents,whilealsoservingasacommunityasset,”hesays.TogetherwithThresholdAcoustics,SchulerShookdesignedamultipurposetheatreparticularlysuitedforTAISM’smusicalensembles.SchulerShook’sservicesincludedbotharchitecturallightingdesign and theatre planning – from stage lighting and rigging to dressing rooms and shell storage.“Acousticalshellsrequireanumberofcoordinatedelements,includingthe acoustician’scriteriaandclient’sexpectations,”explainsJodyKovalick,ProjectTheatreConsultantwithSchulerShookMinneapolis.Ceilingpanelsmusthangfromtheriggingproperly,alongwithmovingandstoringeasily.Built-inlighting iscoordinatedwiththetheatricaldimmingsystem.TheTAISMtheatre’sshallowflyloftincorporatesriggingwithasafetyinterlockmechanismtopreventtheshell’sceilingpanels,intheirperformanceposition,fromcontactingthecatwalksthatprovidelightingaccessabovethestage.“Wengerdoesafantasticjobprovidingalltheinformationweneedtodesignanddevelopashell’ssupportsystem,”declaresKovalick.Duringtheshopdrawingandconstructionprocess,hesaysWengercoordinateseveryone’sinformationtoensureeverythingworksasdesigned,whilealsobeingveryresponsivewhensomethingneedsattentionortweaking.DiBlasibelievesanexperiencedprojectteamcanoftenanticipate–andavoid– potential problems. “Whether differences in culture, material procurement or constructionmethods,askingtherightquestionscanhelpminimizesurprises.”TheseskillswereparticularlyimportantontheTAISMprojectbecauselocal contractorsandsupplierswerelargelyunfamiliarwiththeatreconstructiontechniquesandprocedures.ContributionsfromlocalfirmswereblendedwithoutsourcedelementsfromcompanieslikeWengertoachieveasuccessfulresult.

Hitting ‘Sweet Spot’AcousticianCarlGiegold,PartnerwithThresholdAcousticsofChicago,Ill.,sayshisfirmhasworkedwithWengerforatleast15years.“IappreciatetalkingthroughideaswithWengerandthevaluetheyaddtothedesignprocess,”Giegoldremarks.

OntheTAISMproject,hesayssomesimplesuggestionsfromWengerhelpedmanage the budget while meeting the desired acoustical performance and the architect’srequirements.GiegoldrequestedadoublelayersurroundingtheDivatower’shoneycombcore–moremasstoenhancethebassresponse.“Theheaviershelldesigngivesawarmersoundoffthestage,”heexplains.Theceilingpanelswerestandardtoavoidoverloadingtherigging’smanualcounterweightedsystem.HedescribestheTAISMDivashell’sconfigurationas“fairlytypical”–threepairsofsidewalltowers,fourupstagetowersandthreeceilingpanels.Theoptionofmultipleshellconfigurationswasveryimportanttoaccommodateawiderangeofperformances.Forchoralconcerts,thecommonsetupwouldbeashortshellconsistingofonepairofsidewalltowerswiththerearwalltowerslocated10'(3m)upstageoftheproscenium.Giegoldpreferstokeepsmallerensemblesfardownstage,withtheupstagewallasneartotheensembleaspossible.“Thisisveryimportantfor clarityandcommunicationbetweenthemusiciansonstage,”henotes.Mostinstrumentalensembleswillusethemid-sizedconfiguration,consistingoftwopairsofsidewalltowersandallfourupstagetowers.Jointconcertsorlargefestivalensembleswillusethefullshell.“TheDivashellhitsasweetspot,”commentsGiegold.“It’slightweightenoughtobemaneuverable,butheavyenoughtospeakwithauthorityandsupportthemusicaleffortsonstage.”

Uniting InteriorToenhancethetheatre’sacousticresponse,Giegoldwantedan“acousticdevice”tonarrowtheuppervolumeoftheaudiencechamber.Thenarrowedvolumecreatessoffitsalongthesidewallsthatemphasizeacousticintimacy.Becausethesoffitsarecantileveredfromthesidewalls,theycansupportonlylimitedweight.Findingamaterialheavyenoughtoserveacousticallywithoutovertaxingthestructurewasachallenge.Masonrywouldhavebeentooheavy.Giegoldsaystheyconsideredhavingthelocalmillworkcontractorcreateauditoriumpanelsfromastick-builtframeworkcoveredwithveneeredplywood.“Foranumberofreasons,weultimatelydecidedthebestsolutionwasaskingWenger toadapttheirlaminatedDiva-paneltechnology,”herecalls.Thecustompanelswere constructed of 3/4"(19mm)plywoodoneachsideofa3"(7.62cm)honeycombcore,withpanelsincorporatingslightcurvatureona20'or30'(6mor9m)radius.Overall,Wengersuppliedauditoriumpanelstotaling2,340squarefeet(217.4squaremeters)–approximatelyhalfthecombinedsquarefootageoftheDivashell’stowersandceilings.Additionally,Wengerprovidedmorethan1,800squarefeet(167.2squaremeters)ofveneerforothertheatresurfaces.“IappreciateWenger’scontributionstothisproject,”explainsMatharu.“IwasveryparticularaboutcoordinatingthecoloroftheDivashellwiththewallpanelsandotherfinishes.”HeaddsthatWengerpatientlysuppliednumeroussamples untilhewassatisfied.“Wengerhelpedachieveaharmoniousinteriorinthe theatre,”Matharunotes.

Fulfilling ExperienceKevinSchafer,TAISM’sDirector,isequallyenthusiasticabouttheoutcome.“Wefeellikewe’recompletelysurroundedbyaWengershell,”exclaimsSchafer,whoplayswithTimWillsoninabrassquintet.“There’sanaturalwarmththatisaverydifferentfeelingthaninmanyplacesI’veplayed,”commentsSchafer.“It’saveryfulfillingexperience.”Asaperformer,Schafersaysprojectionrequireslesseffort.“Yourenergystartsgoingtowardbeingmoremusicalandyourexpectationsareimmediatelyraised.”Hethinksstudentmusiciansalsosensethisandaregoingtostartworkinghardertoplaymoremusically.SchaferalsoappreciateshowtheDivashell’sfunctionalitymakessetupworkeasy.“It’sreallyimportantwecanhandletheshellourselvesbecausewe’reaK-12school,notauniversitywithalargeoperationsstaff,”heremarks,addingit’s‘amazing’theycanmovesuchamassiveshellontheirown.ConcludesSchafer, “That’sthejoyofworkingwithWengerproductsthataresowell-engineered.”