John O'Donnell

Sound Engineer

John shares his time between freelancing as a sound designer/engineer and running Funktion One Australia, an import and design company specialising in venue sound system installations. Prior to this John was Head of Sound at the Victorian Arts Centre. His major achievements there included the design and installation of the sound systems for the Melbourne Concert Hall, and the State Theatre. Design consultant for the Sidney Myer music Bowl sound system, and the sound system installations for the ANZ pavilion, the Black Box and the George Fairfax Studio. John’s operational experience encompasses Opera, Ballet, Comedy, Drama, Contemporary and Classical music, and Rock &Roll. Twenty-two years in the pro-audio industry has seen John work with hundreds of different artists all over Australia and to cities in Europe, the USA, Asia, the Middle east and Papua New Guinea.

His recent productions have included: Mr Barbeque, The Widower, Love in The Age of Therapy for Oz Opera, Kura Tungar, Ruby’s Story and Testimony for the Australian Art Orchestra, The Colony Project for the Next Wave Festival, Voices, a 2001 world premier by Phillip Glass for Organ and Didgeridoo. Australian & European tours of Into the Fire – A collaboration between the Australian Art Orchestra and the Sruthi Laya Ensemble, featuring Karaikudi R. Mani, five productions of The Theft of Sita to Europe, the USA and the UK. the Chamber Made Opera’s production of Gauguin, two seasons of The Mercenary, and three years as production manager for the Melbourne Fashion Festival.

Other productions John has been associated with include: a world tour, a German tour and an Australian tour with Barry Humphries, (as Production /Tour Manager &sound designer.) As sound engineer for countless artists such as John Williams, Don McLean, Ute Lemper, Nigel Kennedy, Blossom Dearie, Peter Ustinov, The Brodsky Quartet, and the theatre productions of musicals and operetta such as Fiddler on the Roof, Fledermaus, The Gypsy Princess, The Merry Widow, In to the Woods, and Man of La Mancha.