Thomas Koch

Thomas Koch started working as freelance media engineer in 2004. Specialized in the use of immersive audio technologies, he since designed and realized a multitude of media installations for institutions as well as renowned media Artists. After finishing his Bachelor Degree in Audio Engineering in 2007, he took part in the development of industrial applications for immersive audio technlogies such as Wave Field Synthesis (WFS) at Fraunhofer IDMT. From 2008 to 2010, he accompanied the commercial launch of IDMT's WFS-Technology 'IOSONO' as certified system technician and by giving workshops for media artists and customers. In parallel, he developed prototypical applications for pre-market media technologies at Fraunhofer's Information and Communication Technology Group. Alongside the technological engagement with state of the art media technologies, he also investigated their possible artistic and creative uses during his Master's Degree in Sound Studies at the University of Arts, Berlin. In 2010, Thomas Koch joined Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute to investigate new uses of 3D-Audio technologies in the context of highly immersive video environments. His work is mainly focused on the development of tools needed to cover the full production chain, developing and implementing customized microphone setups, post-production tools and delivery / reproduction formats like Wave Field Synthesis / object based rendering for large scale audiovisual environments or binaural audio for VR and AR applications. The developed tools and methods for true-to-live capturing and reproduction are used for projects with renowned cultural entities like the 'Berliner Philharmoniker' or the Radiochoir Berlin, as well as for industrial applications, e.g. the realistic reproduction of railway noise and noise abatement methods, realized for Deutsche Bahn AG.

Since 2013 Thomas Koch is teaching the class 'Raumkomposition' as part of the postgraduate (Master) program Sound Studies at the University of Arts, Berlin. His practice-oriented Seminar aims on balancing the use of innovative media technology with integrity of artistic concept.

Since 2016 Thomas Koch is teaching 'Klang und Raum' and 'Mehrkanalton' at SRH Hochschule der populären Künste (hdpk), Berlin. In those Seminars, students of the programm 'Audiodesign' are introduced to the technological, creative and market potential of immersive media technologies.