Stephen Hughes
Sound Designer - FOH Engineer - Orchestral and Immersive Audio Specialist
ABOUT STEPHEN
Stephen is an award winning Sound Designer and FOH Engineer, who has spent two decades working in the live and broadcast music industry. He is an Account Director for Delta Live - a leading audio design and supply company, having previously worked for Sound By Design and as a freelance sound engineer. He has worked with many of the large international orchestras with complex, ambitious amplified projects, and with various artists and institutions utilising immersive audio technology.
Over the last twenty years, career highlights include:
Sound Designer, FOH Engineer and Head of Live Audio for the BBC Proms (2012 - present). This includes working with artists such as Queen, Florence and the Machine, St. Vincent, Sam Smith, Rufus Wainwright, Jamie Cullum, Quincy Jones, Jon Hopkins, Jeff Beck, Nigel Kennedy, Laura Marling, Moses Sumney, Angelique Kidjo, Public Service Broadcasting, Jarvis Cocker, Laura Mvula, Susanne Sundfør, John Grant, Richard Hawley, Sharon Van Etten, the Pet Shop Boys, Pete Tong (Ibiza Classics), Paloma Faith, Jacob Collier and Cynthia Erivo.
Account Director, Sound Designer and Audio Engineer for Sound By Design/Delta Live’s contract for the Royal Albert Hall (2012 - 2018)
Sound Designer for the Olivier Awards (2017 and 2018)
Sound Designer for Interstellar live in Concert with Hans Zimmer (2015)
Sound Designer for Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton (with the BBC Concert Orchestra) UK Arena Tour - (2013)
Sound Designer for Glory of China featuring Song Zuying, Andrea Bocelli and Lang Lang (2012)
FOH Engineer and Sound Designer for Royal Philharmonic Orchestra events (2012 - present)
Account Director for the audio provision at the Roundhouse in London (2019 - present)
Winner of 2018 Pro Sound News Award for Best Audio Installation for use of L-Acoustics L-ISA on the BBC Proms
Winner of the 2013 Pro Sound News Award for Best Audio Team and Best Audio Installation for work at the Royal Albert Hall.
Alongside his live music work, Stephen has also become one of the UK’s leading practitioners in L-Acoustics’ Immersive audio technology (L-ISA), designing, deploying and mixing it on live events and fixed installations throughout the country.
Stephen is highly passionate about music; keen to understand intent and the artistry behind any project he works on, so that he may make sure the end result is as any artist or producer envisages. He has also guest lectured at the University of Surrey on the topics of immersive audio for live events and orchestral amplification to final year students in the audio course.
PHOTO GALLERY
Last Night of the Proms 2025 (featuring Queen, Alison Balsom, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers and BBC Symphony Chorus) - with live TV and radio broadcast - Sound Designer and FOH Engineer
St. Vincent with the Jules Buckley Orchestra (with TV and Radio broadcast) - Sound Designer and FOH Engineer
Guest Speaker at ISE 2025 in Barcelona - discussing mixing orchestras with immersive technology - February 2025
Florence and the Machine with the Jules Buckley Orchestra (with TV and Radio broadcast) - Sound Designer and FOH Engineer
Credited Sound Designer and FOH Engineer for the commercial releases of Florence and the Machine and Sam Smith's live performances at the BBC Proms 2024
BBC Singers and BBC Concert Orchestra performing Songs from the Shows - Sound Designer and FOH Engineer
Glyndebourne Opera's performance of Bizet's Carmen with the London Philharmonic Orchestra - Sound Designer and FOH Engineer
Anthony Roth Constanzo performing Glass/Handel at London Printworks (Collaboration with ENO, Printworks and the BBC) - Sound Designer
Sam Smith with the BBC Concert Orchestra - Sound Designer
Jon Hopkins with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Jules Buckley - Sound Designer and FOH Engineer
Mixing Brian Eno's "In A Garden" in L-ISA Immersive format at London's Serpentine Pavilion - Sound Designer and Mix Engineer
Mixing Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster's "Alienarium Number 5" in L-ISA Immersive format at London's Serpentine Gallery - Sound Designer and Mix Engineer
Public Service Broadcasting with Jules Buckley and the BBC Symphony Orchestra - Sound Designer and FOH Engineer
Sound Designer, Audio HOD and FOH Engineer for the BBC Proms 2011 to present (FOH/Stage/Monitor Engineer from 2004)
Dr. Who Prom with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and guests - Sound Designer and FOH Engineer
London Contemporary Orchestra at London's Tate Modern - Sound Designer
Danny Elfman performing music from the films of Tim Burton UK Arena Tour with the BBC Concert Orchestra - Sound Designer
Later... 25 with Jools Holland (featuring Foo Fighters, Paul Weller, Van Morrisson, Gregory Porter, KT Tunstall, Dizzee Rascall and others) - Sound Designer and Head of Sound
Mark Anthony Turnage's "Up For Grabs" with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at London Barbican - FOH Engineer
Aliens Live with Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra - Sound Designer
Launch of Paramount + at London's Outernet - Sound Designer and Head of Sound
Olivier Awards Sound Designer for 2017 and 2018
Interstellar Live in Concert with Hans Zimmer - Sound Design (photo courtesy of Royal Albert Hall)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra live performance - FOH Engineer and Sound Designer
Winner of the Pro Sound Awards 2018 - Best Installation Project for my work using L-Acoustics L-ISA on the BBC Proms
Premiere for Disney's Beauty and the Beast with live orchestra - Sound Designer
Mixing monitors for broadcast only BBC Proms in 2020 due to the worldwide pandemic - Sound Designer and Mix Engineer
Working with Vincenzo Lamanga on upcoming projects in immersive audio, working in Delta Live's L-ISA studio - Sound Designer and Mix Engineer
Eric Clapton and the London Contemporary Orchestra at London's Royal Albert Hall - Sound Designer and Head of Sound
Private Corporate event with a scratch orchestra performing in a pop up 2000 capacity venue in Berkshire - Sound Designer and Head of Sound
Years and Years performing at a private performance in Hyde Park - Sound Designer and Head of Sound
Black Eyed Peas in the round performance - Sound Designer
Mixing "Van Gogh - The Immersive Experience "in L-ISA Immersive format at Bristol Propyard - Sound Designer and Mix Engineer
The Traitors Prom with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Singers and guests - Sound Designer and FOH Engineer
Halina Rice live performance in L-ISA Immersive format - Sound Designer
Alt-J at the Royal Albert Hall using L-ISA - Head of Sound
Live screening of Jaws with BBC Concert Orchestra - Sound Designer
Sawer's Lighthouse Keepers and Feldman's Words and Music with the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group at the Cheltenham Music Festival (pictured at rehearsals) - FOH Engineer and Sound Designer
Winner of the Pro Sound Awards 2014 - Best Audio Team and Audio Installation for our work at the Royal Albert Hall (pictured with EM Acoustics)
Tuckett's Elizabeth with the Royal Opera House, performed at Painted Hall in Greenwich - FOH Engineer and Sound Designer
Schmitt's Antoine et Cléopâtre with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at London's Barbican - FOH Engineer
Russell Howard's residency at the Royal Albert Hall - Sound Designer
Live screening of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in Concert with BBC Concert Orchestra - Sound Designer
D-Day at 70 with the BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC Radio 2 at the Royal Albert Hall - FOH Engineer and Sound Designer
IN THE PRESS
LSI Online October 2021
LSI Online November 2020
PSN Europe October 2018