Recently, IAR contacted alum Peter Mohen, who has been involved in some fascinating work since graduating. Here’s what he had to tell us:

Upon graduation from IAR in 1971, Peter began a 13-year stint at Warner Brothers Music, where he worked as a music consultant and recording engineer in their demo studio at 75 Rockefeller Plaza. There, he pursued his passion for music by working closely with artists and songwriters in the production of new material for WBM’s music publishing division. Eventually, he was given responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the WBM recording studio. In addition to his function as recording engineer, it was his job as music consultant to suggest song ideas from the music catalog for recording artists and producers who were looking for new material to record.

In 1984, Peter left Warner to work in live concert sound at Radio City Music Hall. “Once, during a rehearsal, as I stood in the dark on stage adjusting a mic, an incredible thing happened. As the few people around me began to play, it dawned on me that I was standing in the middle of the great band U2, as they burst into an incredible version of their song, New Years Day. Needless to say, that was an experience I’ll never forget,” he recalled.

During that same period, Peter also apprenticed at Unitel Video on W57 Street, mixing audio for original VJs Martha Quinn, J.J. Jackson, Alan Hunter, Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, and Julie Brown on MTV. “This really was my first experience mixing TV audio, and I found that I enjoyed mixing sound to picture.”

In 1986, he was hired as an audio technician at M.T.I. Studios on Park Avenue. There, while working on programs for Lifetime Television, he learned how to operate a boom mic, and he had the opportunity to work with such notables as Bill Cosby, Doctor Ruth, and Regis Philbin.

In 1994, Peter found himself at the White House doing field audio. Then, in 1995, he migrated to the Washington, DC Bureau of one of the world’s leading news outlets, CNN. Of all the positions he’s held there, from Master Control Operator to Technical Director, working in audio is what he loves to do best, and that’s just what he was selected to do last year for the launch of The Situation Room, hosted by Wolf Blitzer.

He was already working seven days a week, mixing not only The Situation Room but also Larry King Live, when Hurricane Katrina hit, devastating the Gulf Coast. CNN immediately began extensive coverage of the event, and Peter remained at the console throughout the duration. His efforts, along with those of his colleagues, were rewarded recently when CNN won a Peabody Award for significant and meritorious achievement in broadcasting.

Currently, Peter is a Primary Audio Mixer at CNN, which means he’s responsible for managing the audio content of complex, live network shows. This includes microphone set design, integration of remote sources, telecommunications hybrids, mixing microphones and music into network programming, and utilizing Euphonix Max Air digital audio consoles, ENCO DADpro32 music servers, and ProTools digital audio workstations. “This position requires a thorough understanding of advanced audio technology as well as a command of digital audio systems. The audio designer must posses the ability to work efficiently and independently, while collaborating with other members of the control room staff, under what can often be extremely high-pressure conditions, to create quality media content. I am also consulted by CNN regarding the acquisition, installation, and implementation of new audio gear.”

“Years before the explosion of digital technology, the education I received at IAR gave me a strong foundation in audio engineering, which I still draw from today. The principles and concepts I learned then are useful now in understanding digital signal processing and complex modern audio systems. In the ever-changing world of broadcast news, I call upon my IAR training every day.”

“Given the opportunity to speak with current IAR students, I would tell them to keep their minds open to new ideas and to look for opportunities to explore different aspects of their craft. In the exciting arena of modern technology, flexibility and open-mindedness are key to recognizing potential solutions to a given challenge. Also, interning is a valuable means of exploring different jobs. It’s important to study hard, work hard, and find a way to have fun with what you’re doing.”

IAR would like to thank Peter for taking the time out of his busy schedule at CNN to speak with us.