About me

Katharina Pfennich AboutMe

Sound Designer & Sound Artist

I am a sound designer and sound artist with a strong interest in immersive storytelling through sound. I studied Fine Art at Newcastle University before continuing with a Master’s degree in Sound Design at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK).

Growing up in an international environment, I have lived in Austria, France, the UK, Canada, and Switzerland, experiences that have shaped my sensitivity to place, atmosphere, and cultural context. Early on, I developed a deep interest in documenting, shaping, and transforming sonic environments. This exploration continues to define my practice today and inspires me to make immersive soundscapes for film and art exhibitions.

Filmography

  • Roger Rey – Gaël Métroz (completed)
    Sound Designer – Fiction [Dolby Atmos]
  • Butterfly Stroke – Denis Rabaglia (completed)
    Sound Designer – Fiction [Dolby Atmos]
  • CORE Aiyana de Vree (in post-production)
    Sound Designer & Re-recording Mixer – Short
  • LVX – Fabian Villiger (completed)
    Sound Designer & Re-Recording Mixer  – Fiction [Dolby Atmos]
  • I’ll Be Gone In June – Katharina Rivilis (2026)
    Sound Designer & Dialogue Editor – Fiction
  • I Love You, I Leave You – Moris Freiburghaus (2025)
    Sound Designer – Documentary
  • To continue knowing (you) – Beth Barnes (2025)
    Sound Designer & Re-Recording Mixer – Short
  • Songs of my Father – Rishi Pelham (2025)
    Sound Editor – Short
  • Hotel Excelsior – Talkhon Hamzavi, Jessy Moravec, Liliane Ott (2025)
    Sound Editor – Fiction
  • Diary of a Woman – Simon Aeby (2025)
    Sound Designer & Re-Recording Mixer –  Fiction
  • Behind the Glass – Olga Dinnikova (2025)
    Sound Designer – Fiction
  • Girls & Gods – Arash Riahi & Verena Soltiz (2025)
    Sound Editor – Documentary
  • Der Prank – Benjamin Heisenberg (2025)
    ADR Editor – Fiction
  • Il Canto del Respiro – Simona Canonica (2025)
    Sound Editor – Documentary
  • Who Runs the World – Aiyana De Vree (2024)
    Sound Designer – Short
  • When We Were Sisters – Lisa Brühlmann (2024)
    Assistant Sound Editor – Fiction
  • Les Courageux – Jasmin Gordon (2024)
    Assistant Sound Editor – Fiction
  • Brunaupark – Felix Hergert & Dominik Zietlowl (2024)
    Assistant Sound Editor – Documentary
  • Schlafende Pferde – Julius Weigel (2024)
    Sound Designer – Short
  • Der Wert der Dinge – Tobias Luchsinger (2024)
    Sound Designer – Documentary
  • The Whole World Blind – Finbar Somers & Sean Mackey (2023)
    Sound Designer & Re-Recording Mixer – Short [Dolby Atmos]
  • Im Rhythmus der Zeit – Maren Stoppel (2023)
    Sound Designer & Re-recording Mixer – Documentary [Dolby Atmos]
  • Theory of Change – Dennis Stauffer (2023)
    Dialogue Editor & Sound Designer – Documentary
  • Moter – Dorentina Imeri (2022)
    Sound Designer – Short
  • Time Stranger – Lara Jacobs  (2022)
    Sound Designer – Short [Dolby Atmos]

Sound Art & Exhibitions​​

  • Let the Mountain come to You – La Strada Graz (AT, 2026)
    Field recording & soundscape composition with Nana-Franziska Schottländer
  • Erforsche den Gletscher – Dachstein Eispalast (AT, 2024–2029)
    Field recording, sound design & mix for the exhibition​
  • Der Berg klingt, singt und rinnt – Dachsteingletscher (AT, since 2024)
    Soundwalk (App: „Walk with Me“)​
  • Signal vom Dachstein – Schloss Trautenfels (AT, 2024–2025)
    Sound installation presented within a museum exhibition setting​
  • Klanglandschaft – La Strada (online, 2024)
    Digital soundscape as part of the La Strada Festival​
  • Cavescape – La Strada (online, 2023)
    Digital soundscape as part of the La Strada Festival​
  • Signal vom Dachstein – La Strada Graz (AT, 2022)
    Quadraphonic sound installation​
  • Ouvertüre 5: Meteorologie – Signal am Dachstein (AT, 2021)
    Field recording & artist talk on the glacier​
  • Soundinstallation in a Gondola – Ramsau am Dachstein (AT, 2021)
    5.1 sound installation in a moving gondola and on the glacier​
  • Dachsteinloch – Ramsau am Dachstein (AT, 2021)
    Sound recording inside a cave system​
  • Interludes I, II, III – Cluny, Newcastle (UK, 2019)
    Soundscape series as part of a live concert​
  • More Time Than Life II – Unit 8 Copeland Park, Peckham (UK, 2018)
    Self-generating sound installation, duration: 6 days​
  • More Time Than Life I – Newcastle University Degree Show (UK, 2018)
    Self-generating sound installation, live-audio-stream, duration: 16 days​
  • animo – Concordia University, Montreal (CA, 2017)
    Robotic installation using pneumatics, an EEG-headset & Max/MSP​
  • The Font – Tic Space, Newcastle University (UK, 2016)
    Underwater sound installation

Education

  • 2021 - 2024: MA Sound Design at ZHdK, CH
  • 2020 - 2021: Sound Engineering Course at akademie-media Salzburg, AT
  • 2014 - 2018: BA Fine Art Newcastle University, UK – First Class Honours
  • 2017: 6 Months Exchange at Concordia University, CA
  • 2013 - 2014: Foundation Studies at UCA Canterbury, UK - Distinction