Press release
30.08.2010 - Hong Kong
Octave hits the right note with Sennheiser
Octave, a unique and bold musical weaving in pop influences and contemporary life, scored the right notes 19 times over during its run at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts during the summer. Starring popular Hong Kong singer-artistes Ivana Wong and Hins Cheung, the 150-minute Cantonese production re¬volves around a group of young people attempting to uncover the true values in life.
 The muscial “Octave” attracted tens of thousands of spectators to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts(Photo courtesy of Alvin Wong)  Octave’s sound designer Yuen Cheuk Wa relied on the moisture-proof MKE 1 clip-on microphone for the show(Photo: Vince Tan) |
None was more satisfied with the performances than Yuen Cheuk Wa, Octave’s sound designer. The visibly delighted Yuen waxed lyrical about the quality and reliability of Sennheiser products used in the musical, particularly the SK 5212 bodypack outfitted with the MKE 1, Sennheiser’s smallest clip-on microphone. “Previously, I’ve only used the MKE 2 so when I was offered the opportunity to try the MKE 1 for Octave, it was a no-brainer,” he said. “Being the smallest lavalier mic in the Sennheiser family, the MKE 1 has surprising audio quality and is by far the most outstanding equipment I’ve come across in terms of picking up sounds that matter.” And the accomplished sound artist certainly knows his keep. Yuen not only built up extensive experience in sound design in and outside of Hong Kong in the last decade with his involvement in projects such as Hong Kong Disneyland’s New Year Parade, he has also worked with renowned collaborators including British artistic director-designer Mark Fisher and legendary Hong Kong pop music composer Joseph Koo Ka-fai. According to Yuen, Octave’s pop genre was a key challenge in the delivery of the musical. He explained: “The songs are belted out at a faster tempo, and coupled with the stage moves, the artistes were naturally more prone to perspiration. At the same time, clarity and a near-field sound ambience were of utmost importance for the audience to follow the plot.” The superiority of Sennheiser equipment was therefore key to the production, he said, noting that the protective membrane of its mics provided more than adequate protection from moisture. “From the wireless transmission to the connectors, to the quality of the microphones and the |
Alvin Wong (r.), director of Octave, with Ching, Technical Director of Sennheiser Beijing & Hong Kong |
Judging from the audience reaction to emotion-evoking segments of the musical, the efforts did pay off. “The interaction and accolades from the audience during each show was the best assurance that we had achieved our objectives,” concluded Yuen. Alvin Wong, director of Octave, also attributed the success of the musical to the dedicated support of Sennheiser. “We were very happy to have Sennheiser as a partner for Octave and, more importantly, impressed with the domain knowledge and depth of understanding of our artistic direction displayed by our counterparts at Sennheiser. |
“We certainly look forward to more extensive collaboration in future,” he said.
The Sennheiser Group, with its headquarters in Wedemark near Hanover, Germany, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems. The family-owned company, which was established in 1945, recorded sales of around €390 million in 2009. Sennheiser employs more than 2,100 people worldwide, and has manufacturing plants in Germany, Ireland and the USA. The company is represented worldwide by subsidiaries in France, Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark (Nordic), Russia, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Japan, China, Canada, Mexico and the USA, as well as by long-term trading partners in many other countries. Also part of the Sennheiser Group are Georg Neumann GmbH, Berlin (studio microphones and monitor loudspeakers), and the joint venture Sennheiser Communications A/S (headsets for PCs, offices and call centers).
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