Orbital Sound ran its 10th annual Sound Fundamentals Training Course for theatre sound technicians last month, celebrating a decade of preparing theatre sound and technical theatre students for careers in live entertainment.

Held at Orbital's well-equipped seminar facility in Brixton, south London, the course included application training from d&b audiotechnik and Yamaha Commercial Audio, as well as covering the spectrum of technical disciplines required for live sound applications. Led by principal tutors Theo Holloway and Richard Carter, the course's scope included modules on show control, radio microphones, video, communications and networking, as well as the chance to quiz guest speaker Gareth Owen, who presented a session on sound design. The students were also treated to a detailed backstage tour on the West End production of Grease, providing an insight into the challenges involved in a major production.

Over the past 10 years, Orbital has trained more than 250 students, with MD Chris Headlam commenting: "It is amazing to be marking the tenth anniversary of our Sound Fundamentals course, and we are proud to have helped so many people start a successful career in live sound. When we look back over the student records, it is great to see the breadth of talent that started their career path with us. Our motivation is very simple – as a business, we have always felt a responsibility to nurture talent and encourage a high standard of technical skills. It's a win/win situation – as we also ultimately benefit from working with well-trained technicians and sound designers."