Jazz institution debuts Meyer Sound’s new digital platform

The Appel Room of Jazz at New York’s Lincoln Center hosted a diverse celebration of music and technology last month to mark the first commercial installation of the NADIA integrated digital audio platform for Constellation acoustic systems.

Co-presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center and Meyer Sound, and dubbed ‘NADIA’s Music Hall’, the invitation-only event underscored the versatility of the Constellation acoustic system, which subtly optimised the room’s aural ambiance for each performance.

The event – which was attended by Meyer Sound’s co-founders John and Helen Meyer, as well as Constellation project director John Pellowe – brought together the Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble, Mark Morris Dance Group, Steve Miller and the Bruce Harris Quintet,

In her opening remarks, executive vice-president Helen said: “We’re excited about this evening because we are about to bring you a unique variety show featuring some of the world’s most celebrated artists, from contemporary dance as well as classical, rock and jazz music.

“And we’re doing this so you can hear – and enjoy – how these different musical genres sound naturally their best using The Appel Room’s Constellation acoustic system, recently upgraded with the NADIA platform.”

Violinist Joshua Bell, music director of London’s Academy of St Martin in the Fields, led the chamber ensemble in works by Vivaldi, Beethoven and Shostakovich. Between selections, he noted his own prior experiences playing in Constellation-equipped halls “from Berkeley to Singapore”.

Enhancing the art form
Bell said: “Constellation is almost miraculous in what it can do. It is a wonderful use of advanced technology to add to our art form of [classical music], which is pre-technology.”

Legendary guitarist and songwriter Miller, who recently joined the Jazz at Lincoln Center board, recounted his relationship with John Meyer dated from 1967, when Meyer created a custom amplifier for Miller’s appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival.

“John is a perfectionist and the sound in this room is an example of that,” said Miller. “I love playing here.”

The founder of the Steve Miller Band then treated the gathering to an acoustic verion of his 1977 hit, Jet Airliner.

Wynton Marsalis, managing and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, took the opportunity to recall his own experiences of playing in halls around the world. “On behalf of Jazz at Lincoln Center, I’m pleased to co-present this evening to showcase the debut of NADIA, a high-powered processing engine designed for the venues of the future,” he said.

‘Changed the world’
“NADIA is the new heart of Constellation, which has changed the world of concert halls. When I ask presenters about Constellation, it seems everyone knows what it is, even if they don’t have it.

“And when I play dry rooms that are not ambient, where the sound really needs a lot of help, I say: ‘Call Helen and John Meyer – the hippest people you are ever going to meet.’”

As part of the celebrations, John and Helen Meyer made a donation to Jazz at Lincoln Center’s education programmes, which enable people of all ages to expand their knowledge of jazz music. 

Helen Meyer said: “This was a celebration for NADIA, the new digital platform for Constellation, which we proudly named after our granddaughter. It proved to be the ultimate showcase of how we strive to give artists and audiences the best possible experience at the intersection of technology and art.”

Pellowe gave a presentation on how Constellation, which has transformed hundreds of venues worldwide, can create a wide range of natural-sounding acoustic environments.