CRAS Does AES

Several instructors and staff members from the Conservatory took their act on the road when they attended the 119th Audio Engineering Society Convention in New York City. This year’s show at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan was packed with over 20,000 attendees looking over gear and services offered by 452 exhibitors. For the second year in a row, the Conservatory sponsored the Mix Foundation’s TEC Hall of Fame awards. Since 2004, the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio has recognized innovations and products that have had an important impact on audio technology by inducting them into the TEC Hall of Fame. “It’s quite an honor to be the sole sponsor of such a prestigious event,” says Administrator Kirt Hamm. “We look forward to being a part of this event in the years to come.”

In addition to seeing the latest cutting edge audio gear at the show, they met with a number of VIPs and manufacturers. “We had the distinct honor of having dinner with Les Paul,” says Mike Jones, Director of Education at the Conservatory’s Tempe location. “It was great to be able talk to him at length about recording and his contributions to audio. He’s an amazing person and I’d probably not be doing what I do today without Les and his inventions.” Other booth visits included chats with Professional Audio Design, Telefunken and Rupert Neve, who will be a guest speaker at the Conservatory in December. Neve, making his third visit to the Conservatory, will lecture students on analog and digital audio, console design and other related topics. The Conservatory has an active guest lecture program that invites the best and brightest from the world of audio to speak to the students. Other guest speakers have included Eve Anna Manley (Manley Labs), Andrew Kautz (Toby Keith productions), mastering engineer John Vestman, Bob Heiber of Chace Audio, Randy Weitzel of Yamaha and Ed Simeone from TC Electronic.

Photo caption: left to right: Mike Jones, Rupert Neve and CRAS instructor Jeff Harris

CRAS Offers VerTec Certification

The Conservatory recently became the first school in the world to offer the JBL VerTec Series manufacturer certification when 64 students and 2 staff members received training and certificates in the operation and setup of the system. JBL Product Manager for Tour Sound Products, Raul Gonzalez taught the class in the Conservatory’s 6,000 sq. ft. live sound classroom that features the company’s popular VerTec Series tour sound system. “Keeping the students trained on the latest gear is one of our prime directives here at the Conservatory,” says Administrator Kirt Hamm. “Our grads are eminently employable because of the strength of our curriculum and certification programs.”

The school now offers certificates in the operation of Pro Tools (210M Operator Certificate), Antares Auto Tune, SIA Smaart software, TC Electronic System 6000 and M3000, Apple Logic Pro 7 and more. The JBL certification will now be added to the list currently taught at Conservatory, giving the 800+ students that come through the school’s doors every year the opportunity to be adept in the theory and operation of the system.

Photo caption: JBL’s Raul Gonzalez teaching students in the Conservatory’s Live Sound Classroom

Petro Finds Success in NYC

How do you go from Rock Springs, Wyoming to success New York City? Ask Chris Petro. Chris graduated from the Conservatory in June 2003, and in a few short years has turned his dream into success. He first started with a Conservatory internship at the famed Electric Lady Studios in New York.
“I’m a small-town guy, and toward the end of my time at the Conservatory, you pick an internship wish list,” says Petro. ” I decided to go to New York. I’d never been out here in my life.”

Once at Electric Lady, Petro turned his small-town work ethic into action. “I just worked as hard as possible,” he says. “I was in New York and a million people would love to get in here and take my job. I got to be known to be a hard worker.”

From there, he stepped up the ladder of success and started working with some heavyweights. “During the first two or three weeks, I was helping the tech and hooking up engineer’s outboard gear. That’s how I learned how the signal flow of the rooms. Then engineers started inviting me into the rooms. Because I never spoke unless spoken to, they figured I wouldn’t be obnoxious. I started working with people like Eddie Kramer and they started teaching me everything.”

Chris is currently working developing bands and working with guitarist/songwriter Anthony Krizan who has written hits for Lenny Kravitz and Spin Doctors. You can listen to a sample of his work at www.quintusmusic.com.

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