EDUCATION

M.S., Physics/Architectural Acoustics, University of Colorado at Boulder, 1999

B.S., Physics, University of Oregon, 1997

BIO

Tim has over 25 years of experience consulting on acoustics for a wide variety of projects, both nationally and internationally. His interest in acoustics was sparked while working as a live sound engineer during his undergraduate years at the University of Oregon. As a physics student, he was inspired to discover the underlying causes for why some rooms worked so much better for sound systems than others. As a musician performing around town, he began to develop an intuitive understanding of how spaces work (or don’t work!) for music and developed a special sensitivity to the needs of musicians.

Next came a move to Colorado to continue studies in physics at The University of Colorado, Boulder. Here, the links between music, acoustics, and architecture began to become clearer as he began an internship at Kirkegaard Associates’ Boulder office while also pursuing graduate studies at CU Boulder. He completed his studies with a joint M.S. thesis in both the Physics and Architectural Engineering Departments entitled “Acoustical Properties of Hanging Panel Arrays in Performance Spaces,” where he applied unique calculation techniques to predict sound reflections from reflector arrays in concert halls.

After graduate school and a tour of European concert halls in the summer of 1999, Tim began his professional career at Kirkegaard Associates, bringing his expertise in acoustical measurements, computer modeling, building systems, and architecture. He soon worked his way up to Senior Consultant, and served as Project Manager on several key projects, including the Carnegie Hall Studio Towers Renovation Project, Kenan Music Building at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He was also responsible for acoustical measurements and modeling for several high-profile projects, including the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall; Hamer Hall, Melbourne; Royal Festival Hall, London; Salt Lake Tabernacle, Salt Lake City; Mann Auditorium, Tel-Aviv, and the Newman Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Denver.

Tim founded Soundpost Recording in 2003 after a fellow choral musician asked him to start recording his choir concerts. Through this work he discovered a new way of listening to rooms and developed unique insight to the practical and operational needs of recording spaces. During the 2014 summer season he also served as Senior Audio Engineer at the Aspen Music Festival, and was the lead engineer on several key broadcast concerts. His recording credits and clients include Joshua Bell, Alisa Weilerstein, Whitworth University Choirs, and world premiere performances of choral compositions by Jake Runestad and Eric Whitacre with Denver-based choral ensemble Kantorei.

He founded Soundpost Acoustics in 2014. Establishing a new Colorado-based consulting firm brought many new challenges and new types of projects, including studio designs for GRiZ and Illenium, an acoustical evaluation of the iconic Cadet Chapel at the US Air Force Academy, construction administration work for the Imig Music Building Addition at CU Boulder (his alama mater) and design work for a large USA government facility (details and location confidential).

In 2019 Tim founded founded The Soundpost Sessions, a listening room concert series, at La Vita Bella Cafe in downtown Longmont, Colorado. He designed and built acoustical treatments for the listening room and took an active role as concert promoter, live sound engineer, and event host.  The series moved to Longmont Public Media in 2021, and later moved to The Times Collaborative. Performance have featured several Colorado artists including Alexa Wildish, Foxfeather, Covenhoven, and Big Richard. He continues to serve as Executive Producer for the concert series to promote local music in Longmont.

Continuing his entrepreneurial interests, he became co-founder in charge of product design for St. Vrain Acoustics in 2024. St. Vrain Acoustics designs and manufactures acoustic panels which can be flat-packed and shipped, aimed at the DIY-oriented home studio owner.