Program Highlights

AES Europe 2026 Copenhagen Program Highlights

Workshop Highlights

Innovative Measurement of Speech Intelligibility – Applications of Listening Effort in Research & Practice.

Hannah Baumgartner & Jan Rennies-Hochmuth.

Speech intelligibility is a key factor in successful communication across various domains, and traditional assessment methods often lack objectivity or fail to capture the listener’s experience in real-world scenarios. We introduce an innovative approach to measuring speech intelligibility based on the concept of “Listening Effort.” The session is designed for industry professionals and researchers seeking reliable and actionable tools for evaluating and improving speech intelligibility.

Audio engineering music for listeners with hearing loss.

Trevor Cox.

Audio engineering often implicitly assumes a uniformity in hearing across listeners; this is an assumption that does not reflect real-world diversity. In western countries, about one in three adults are deaf, have hearing loss or suffer from tinnitus. This workshop will summarise new research in the field, including from the Cadanza Project, and consider opportunities for making music more accessible.

Studio Slave to Audio Professional.

Gary Gottlieb & John Krivit.

The gravest concern of many students regards their first professional position. Whether it is an internship, a paid position, or getting clients to use their studio, many students express nervousness regarding this leap from the relatively calm path of education to the vast unknown of the professional world. In this workshop we will discuss the traits and characteristics most sought after by potential employers. We will also share tips for success at entry level and all levels of the audio profession, along with helpful ideas for educators to pass along to their students.

Masterclasses Highlights

In a series of one-hour masterclasses, featuring remarkable recording artists, attendees are given a unique chance of hearing 3D audio at its best; as we discuss qualities that makes it truly worth the effort.

Kimio Hamasaki: 3D Masterclass

Kimio Hamasaki designed NHK’s 22.2 audio system and the Hamasaki-cube, which is excellent at capturing spatial qualities of a concert hall. Attendees are treated to a selection of high resolution 3D recordings from glorious Japanese concert halls.

Kseniya Kawko: 3D Masterclass

Kseniya shares selections from her recent live and studio recording and mixing projects, featuring leading orchestras and jazz ensembles, and provides an introduction to the artistic and production considerations behind immersive formats.

Li Dakang: 3D Masterclass

Li Dakang is a preeminent recording engineer and pioneer of 3D recording of Chinese traditional music, ancient instruments and spaces. Attendees are treated to a selection of unique 3D recordings, including a glorious, new version of China’s National Anthem.

Richard King: 3D Masterclass

Richard is a multiple Grammy Award–winning recording engineer and a specialist in acoustic music recording. His work is focused primarily on classical, jazz, and film score music. A selection of his immersive recordings will be presented, accompanied by a discussion of the microphone configurations and mixing decisions employed in each example.

George Massenburg: 3D Masterclass

George plays high resolution stereo, 5.1 and 3D recordings from his fabulous back catalogue, commenting on production tools and techniques, including his own excellent dynamics processor.