Mazowsze Folk Song and Dance Ensemble Auditorium Audio Upgrade

Mazowsze Song and Dance Ensemble is based in Warsaw, Poland and consists of an orchestra, ballet and choir, supported by full technical and artistic management. Enacted by government decree in 1948, the ensemble’s role has remained constant: to further the understanding and appreciation of Polish culture. Mazowsze is the largest, most respected group of its kind in the world.

In 2024, extensive upgrades to the audio system in the Mazowsze Auditorium were undertaken. The objective was to create a sound-system that honoured the principles of acoustic designer Ewa Więckowska-Kosmala, who sadly died in 2023, while also enriching the audience and artist experience. This project is the result of and extensive technology audit, led by Airpol sound & system designer Krzysztof Polesinski and Mazowsze’s Creative Sound Director, Piotr Przedbora. It was supplied by Audio Plus and Polsound.

The auditorium was equipped with L-Acoustics L-ISA Immersive-Hyperreal-Sound system, installed by L-Acoustics distributor, Audio Plus. It includes seven L2D line-source arrays, an innovative L-Acoustics product, which represents a full cardioid or super-cardioid line-source hang in one compact enclosure.

This immersive installation is Poland’s first to incorporate L2D loudspeakers in the L-Acoustics L-ISA configuration and the country’s fifth L-ISA system. The immersive, 3D sound-field is completed with over 60 coaxial loudspeakers placed around the audience and in the ceiling, plus six subwoofers in cardioid configuration to ensure controlled, low frequency coverage throughout. Onstage, A10, X12 and X8 loudspeakers provide monitoring for the performers. The system is powered by an L-ISA Processor II and P1 processor, ten LS10 switches, and 11 LA7.12 amplified controllers.
At the heart of the audio system are two DiGiCo Quantum 852-T digital consoles and KLANG:konductor, supplied and installed by Polsound. The KLANG immersive in-ear-monitoring system ensures artists can benefit from the same immersive experience as the audience and two Fourier transform.engine ensure access to cutting-edge creative plugins.

The result is a seamlessly immersive sound system that elevates the audience experience while fully supporting the creative process. Audience members have commented on how the sound creates an intimate connection with the performers, whilst maintaining the legendary grandeur and spectacle of Mazowsze.

Technical challenges included the modification of a 4-tonne ceiling sound barrier to accommodate speaker arrays. Working in close collaboration with installers Audio Plus and construction leads Mieczysław Biczyk and Włodzimierz Matyaszczyk, plans were drawn up to discreetly reinforce the hoist and rigging systems, ensuring the trussing met the highest possible quality and safety requirements, without overpowering the aesthetic of the building.

Preparing the artists and staff for the change to a state-of-the-art audio system took training and rehearsal. Dedicated to the best possible outcome Polsound, audio installers for the DiGiCo, Fourier and KLANG systems, ensured staff also benefitted from training from DiGiCo, the console manufacturers. The audio team worked collaboratively with all departments to deliver a cohesive vision that supports the Mazowsze Ensemble’s key objectives.

The sound system was specifically designed to enhance the artist experience, as well as the audience’s. This required the system to have ultimate flexibility while maintaining usability. Detailed design consultation was undertaken to fulfil the wishes of the ensemble to have the very best technological and artistic vision.
Krzysztof Polesinski, recalls that gaining the trust and understanding of investors was also a key challenge. “When sound is invisible it is difficult to explain artistically,” he says. “Ensuring investors could understand and were willing to trust in the vision look months of communication and detailed demonstrations to establish.”
The Mazowzse Ensemble is a commercial enterprise, with 20 shows performed per month on average. Shutting the auditorium for four months to allow work to continue was a daunting prospect. Again, communication was key to overcoming this challenge as key deadline dates needed to be met to ensure trust remained.

This project showcases the very best of Polish culture, applying ultra-modern technology with sensitivity to empower the future of Polish artistic creativity. The experience is truly immersive, a perfect example of what is possible when artist integrity is at the heart of every decision made.

When explaining the impact of the sonic changes, Mazowsze’s Creative Sound Director, Piotr Przedbora, says: “With Mazowsze, we’ve created a venue where Poland’s rich musical heritage can be experienced with unprecedented immediacy and emotional impact. The only limit now is our imagination.”

Matching the creativity of movement and music, the sonic landscape of Mazowsze envelops audiences and artists, deepening the emotional impact of the artform, connecting with audiences on a deeper level, but also allowing the artists to perform more intuitively, further enriching the experience.

Described as ‘The new sound of tradition’ the sound system was designed by Krzysztof Polesinski. Using L-Acoustics Soundvision software, he delivered an intricate audio architecture that precisely maps sound throughout the three-dimensional space.
“Sound is the medium of every artform, so we take the upmost care,” says Jacek Boniecki, Maestro and Director of Mazowsze. “Today’s audience demands are very different to even 10 years ago, so our investment must reflect that. We want the beautiful sound of Mazowsze to represent the next step up in what is possible.”