Fried Wilsenach

Friedrich Wilsenach is a seasoned South African theatre and audio professional with two decades of experience in the pro-audio industry, dating back to 2005. He holds a National Diploma in Entertainment Technology from Tshwane University of Technology, where he was introduced to theatre sound, lighting, and stage technology. In 2008, he was appointed Chief Audio Technician and Technical Production Manager at the Victory Theatre in Johannesburg. A year later, he entered the freelance market under the banner of The Working Dog Audio, building a diverse portfolio across the live audio and events industry.
Friedrich has worked as FOH and Monitor Engineer with a wide range of renowned local and international artists, including Johnny Clegg, Hugh Masekela, Gregory Porter, Sampa the Great, Simphiwe Dana, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Marcus Miller, Monty Alexander, The O'Jays, Andreas Vollenweider, Kyle Shepherd Trio, Marcus Wyatt’s ZAR Band, Oliver Mtukudzi, Beatenberg, Samthing Soweto as well as the Johannesburg and KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestras.
His extensive experience in touring productions includes roles as Snr System Engineer for major international acts such as George Benson, Sting, Bruce Springsteen, John Fogerty, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Boyz II Men, Bryan Adams, Ronan Keating, The Goo Goo Dolls, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Justin Bieber, Tyla, Robbie Williams, Lebo M & Hans Zimmer.
Friedrich has served as Head of Audio for Disney - The Castle (Balich Wonderstudio) , The Head and the Load by William Kentridge (Gearhouse Splitbeam) and Lebo M & Hans Zimmer in Concert (Gearhouse SA).
His sound design credits span a wide array of productions, including:
● Nkoli: The Vogue Opera by Philip Miller
● Marikana – The Musical (SA State Theatre)
● Freedom – The Musical (SA State Theatre)
● African Pulse (Showtime Management)
● Africa Umoja (Sting Music)
● Exit/Exist and Full Moon (Vuyani Dance Company)
● Siva (Luthando Arts Academy)
● The Little Prince, Animal Farm, and The Witches (Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy)
● Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and Giselle (St. Petersburg Ballet)
● Avenue Q, Here’s to You, and Rock of Ages (VR Theatrical)
In recent years, he has worked across the African continent and internationally—including North and South America and China—installing temporary systems and operating audio for large-scale productions. While he is widely recognized as an expert audio professional and FOH engineer, his broad training and hands-on experience extend across the technical production spectrum: including technical production management, rigging, power distribution, signal flow, and IP-based network systems. In 2024, he established an immersive audio pre and post production facility as an extension of The Working Dog Audio to develop, design and mix immersive audio content for the live events industry.