The sound of the final chord of a symphonic movement reverberating through a concert hall is a thrilling and memorable moment for musicians and audiences.
Some say it’s magic.
Knowing how to achieve that magic combination of artistry and science is the province of the worlds’ finest acousticians. In its first decade, Akustiks earned the recognition and respect of its clients and performing arts collaborators, who look to the firm to provide leadership in defining excellence in architectural and audio acoustics for the next generation of great performance and recital halls, theatres, and museums.
The firm’s approach combines decades of professional, academic, backstage and touring experience with a sensitive combination of clarity and candor. The entire Akustiks team is dedicated to creating performance spaces worldwide that are wonderfully tuned instruments for listening to orchestral, operatic, and theatrical performances that both dazzle and delight.
Our ultimate goal is to cut through the mystique, but preserve the magic.
Paul Scarbrough is an acoustical design professional with over 30 years of experience. Recently he led the Akustiks team in the design of renovations to famed Cincinnati Music Hall, home to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Pops, the May Festival and Cincinnati Opera. He also led the design of the new 1,100-seat hall Concert Hall at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, the principal venue for the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.
Russell Todd as one of the managing partners of Akustiks, is an insightful hands-on consultant with over 30 years of experience advising clients on acoustics. Known for his collaborative style, he works directly with clients and design partners to develop and drive solutions for Akustiks’ major projects. He is currently overseeing the design of an 1800-seat performing arts center at Belmont University and collaborating with his partners on the design of David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center.
Christopher Blair, with 50 years professional experience, brings to our clients an innovative flair that extends well outside the bounds of the prototypical acoustician, creating practical solutions to a broad range of applications. As Akustik’s Chief Scientist and Principal Consultant, he collaborates on all the firm’s major projects, focusing in particular on room acoustic design.
Anthony Nittoli is one of the most accomplished audio video designers in the United States. In a career spanning over 40 years, Anthony brings broad “real world” experience to bear on his design projects. In addition to his design and installation background, he has extensive experience as both a recording engineer and in live concert mixing, working with a variety of artists.
Sam Brandt is a senior audio video system consultant for Akustiks where he works closely with his colleagues designing live performance and cultural venues. His current projects include The Shed and David Geffen Hall in New York City. Some of Sam’s completed projects include Tobin Center for the Arts in San Antonio Texas, Theatre For A New Audience in Brooklyn New York, Cincinnati Music Hall in Ohio and Centro Internacional de Convenciones de Bogotá in Bogotá Colombia.
Jordan Lytle, now based in Seattle, has been with Akustiks since June of 2010. He holds a B.F.A from Ithaca College in Theatre Production Arts with a concentration in sound design. Jordan encountered Akustiks while they were involved with the renovation of Ithaca College’s theater facilities in 2008. Since then, he has contributed to the design of Brooklyn Academy of Music’s new Fisher Building in Brooklyn, New York and multiple projects at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.
Michael Umile joined the Electro-Acoustic Department here at Akustiks in 2015. His most recent work includes the completion of a 400 seat Multi-Purpose theater in Memphis, TN for the Crosstown Arts Complex and the renovation / restoration of the MGM Grand Theater in Milwaukee, WI for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.
Jose has been working in the fields of acoustics and noise control for more than 30 years, and in the last 15, has participated in some of the most prestigious theatre design in South America and abroad. As Principal Consultant of Acústica & Sônica, a practice located in São Paulo, Brasil, with more than 45 years of experience in acoustics, he has been involved in the design of Sala São Paulo, Auditório Ibirapuera, Teatro Municipal de São Paulo, Teatro Bradesco, and other major projects.