Register HERE!
Hotel block information is on the registration page. Cut off for the block is June 24th, 2026.
Venue:
Steppenwolf, Rehearsal Room B
1646 N Halstead in Chicago, IL, one block north of North Avenue (1650 N / 800W).
Public Transport: RED LINE “L” (NORTH / CLYBOURN), CTA HALSTED BUS (#8), CTA NORTH AVENUE BUS (#72)
For more details & parking instructions, click here
Day by Day:
SATURDAY, July 25th
12pm – 1:30pm
- Welcome and Early Career Roundtable – led by Josh McCammon, organized by Newton (Newt) Schottelkotte. Whether it’s a QLab shortcut that’s saved you hours of programming, your favorite source for unique plugins, or the unexpected tool you never head to a load-in without, sign up for the sound show-and-tell and share it with your fellow designers! And then…we’ll spend some time getting to know our fellow attendees in small groups.
2:pm – 3:30pm
- System Tuning/Meyer Galaxy Walkthrough – with Stephanie Farina and Costa Daros. Teaming up with Meyer Sound. This session will explore how to tune a theatrical sound system, using Meyer Galaxy and Compass software. You do not need any previous knowledge of system tuning or Compass software to reap the benefits of this session!
3:45pm – 5:15pm
- Yamaha DM7 Workshop – presented by Andy Leviss.
5:25pm – 6pm
- Point Source Presentation
8:30 pm/ 8:45pm
- Theatre of the Mind at the Reid Murdoch Building at 333 North LaSalle Street in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Co-created by Academy, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning artist David Byrne* and writer Mala Gaonkar, this new theatrical experience is inspired by both historical and current neuroscience research. Follow your Guide as they revisit key moments in their life in a surreal, 15,000-square-foot installation with a group of just 16 audience members.
- There is a limited TSDCA block available at 8:30pm and 8:45pm. $82 donation to TSDCA to reserve your seat if available – donate here & indicate “ticket for Theatre of the Mind”. Partners welcome. Financial support available – please write to info@tsdca.org.
Post Show – Meetup with Associate Sound Designer & Programmer Forrest Gregor, PM Matt Marsden, & Clear Com
at Mother Hubbard’s 5 West Hubbard Street, Chicago, IL 60654.
SUNDAY, July 26th
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM. (Coffee provided)
- Health Insurance Roundtable – Organized by Michael Roth.
12 PM – 1:30 PM
- Demystifying Modes – Presenter: Andrew Lynch. What are musical modes, and how can we use them as designers and storytellers? An exploration of modes from their harmonic foundations, to their unique characteristics, and how they might be applied to expand and enrich design choices.
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm. LUNCH provided.
2:30 PM – 3:15 PM.
- Digico & Sound Devices – presented by Digico
3:30 pm – 4 pm.
- KV2 Audio Introduction
4:15 pm – 5:15 pm
- Member Feedback.
5:15 pm – 6 pm
- Annual Meeting. Led by Lindsay Jones & Jess Paz.
6 pm
- Casual Event in the Steppenwolf Tap Bar!
MONDAY, July 27th. (starting at Steppenwolf, Rehearsal Room B)
For parking info, click here. We will be traveling to the Shure Factory after lunch.
10 am – 11:30 am
- System Design Choices and Deployment – Presented by GW Rodriguez.
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
- Pan Lab Console Led by Brad Berridge and Nat Houle
3 pm – 5 pm
- Shure Factory Tour/Walkthrough