Introduction to media law
Recently, the Erich Thienhaus Institute had the pleasure of welcoming a special guest: media lawyer Dr. Lukas Mezger gave a practice-oriented lecture on music law.
The seminar focused on an introduction to the legal fundamentals relevant to professional audio engineering practice. Using selected examples, Dr. Mezger explained key aspects concerning the scope of various music-related intellectual property rights and contract design within the music industry—topics that play an important role in later professional life. The lecture also addressed the highly topical ruling of the European Court of Justice in the “Metall auf Metall” case concerning the use of samples.
Particularly valuable was the clear practical orientation: the theoretical content was repeatedly connected to concrete situations from the professional field of Tonmeisters. This enabled the students not only to develop a fundamental understanding of legal contexts, but also to gain a sense of what truly matters in professional practice.
The seminar also provided ample opportunity for questions and discussion, which the participants made extensive use of. Once again, it became clear how relevant legal knowledge is for creative professions in the audio field.
We would like to sincerely thank Dr. Mezger for this engaging insight and for presenting such an important topic in a vivid and accessible way—one that often receives too little attention in everyday academic life, yet is indispensable in professional practice.
Themenverwandte Beiträge
Studyinformationday 2026
On April 18, 2026, the Detmold University of Music opened its doors to prospective students as part of the university-wide Study Information Day – and, of course, the Erich Thienhaus Institute was once again part of the event.
Mahler 3 in Poland
As part of an international project, the university orchestra collaborated with the Music Academy in Katowice, Poland, on Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 3. Under the direction of Patrick Lange and with Prof. Gerhild Romberger as soloist, an ambitious musical project took shape, including rehearsals and concerts in both Detmold and Katowice.
During the stay in Poland, a group of tonmeister students, supervised by Prof. Ephraim Hahn, accompanied the rehearsals from an audio recording perspective. Long working days, high levels of concentration, and close interaction with the musicians characterized the seminar. Working in unfamiliar concert halls and studio environments repeatedly challenged the students to adapt to new acoustic and technical conditions.
Young DEGA at ETI
Every autumn, the young professionals group of the German Acoustical Society (DEGA) meets for several days at an acoustics institute somewhere in Germany. The aim of the workshop is to explore the diversity of acoustics, foster professional exchange, and build new connections.
TONMEISTERTAGUNG 33
Auf der Tonmeistertagung 33 stellt das Erich-Thienhaus-Institut seine aktuellen Forschungs- und Lehrschwerpunkte vor und bietet Einblicke in die vielfältigen Möglichkeiten einer modernen Tonmeisterausbildung.
Besucher*innen haben die Gelegenheit, mit Lehrenden und Studierenden ins Gespräch zu kommen, neue Projekte kennenzulernen und sich über zukünftige Entwicklungen in der Audiobranche auszutauschen.