ETC Congo Kid fills Munich’s St. Margaret’s Church with "eternal light"

On November 16th, 2014, the walls of St. Margaret's church in Munich, Germany, reverberated with "eternal light," or Lux Aeterna . Organized by Christian Bischof, organist and choir director for St. Margaret's, the event featured music from Claude Debussy, Morten Lauridsen, and Gabriel Fauré, and was accompanied by a modern light show controlled by ETC's Congo Kid® lighting desk. 

Prior to the event's official conceptualization, Bischof contacted lighting designer Ludwig Hacker to discuss the look of the lighting. Says Hacker: "He wanted to make a special event where the music is supported by a live light show that emphasizes the impression and understanding of the music." After Hacker saw the pristine white walls of St. Margaret's, he knew it would be the perfect playground for a state-of-the-art light show. A career-long ETC console user, Hacker chose a Congo Kid console with the latest Cobalt v7.1.1 software update to control the lights for Lux Aeterna.

"[Bischof] wanted the symbiosis of light, music and text to help the audience get an alternative access to spiritual music," explains Hacker, who usually programs shows using an  ETCnomad dongle . Due to the size of the project, a bigger system was necessary, but it had to be small enough in size to fit in the space, and work with the suboptimal power supply at St. Margaret's. Congo Kid's small footprint and powerful engine makes it ideal for smaller venues that need big-venue lighting. 

Hacker also knew his light scenes would need to change simultaneously with the live music performance, and it was important to have a console that could handle a lighting rig containing tungsten, LED and moving-light fixtures. Designed for efficient and professional lighting, Congo Kid provides reliably smooth control for all types of modern lighting equipment, including moving lights and LEDs. The addition of the new Cobalt v7.1.1 software update makes it even easier.

Hacker was able to quickly and easily program a stunning light show that enthralled all who attended Lux Aeterna . At the end of the experience, everyone was very satisfied with the results, making Congo Kid the right console for the job.

Photos © Andreas Krinke