On Tuesday, April 14th, IAR had the privilege of hosting a special event with the New York Chapter of the Audio Engineering Society (AES). AES is now in its 6th decade and is an international professional society dedicated to audio technology. AES Sections serve members in 47 geographic areas around the world and annual conventions are held in the U.S. and Europe to bring members together to network as well as introduce the latest in audio technology. Tuesday’s event was a panel discussion with industry experts about a topic extremely relevant in today’s economy; Making a Living with Audio. The guests were introduced by IAR’s Dean of Faculty, Noel Smith, as:

Moderator – Doron Schachter, Director, Sonic Arts Program at City College of NY
Speaker – Thomas Ray, Vice President/Corporate Director of Engineering, Buckley Radio, WOR News Talk Radio 710 HD
Speaker – Jeff Smith, Chief Engineer WWPR, Supervisor Broadcast/Studio Systems Clear Channel Radio NYC
Speaker – Jim Starzynski, Principal Engineer and Audio Architect, NBC Universal
Speaker – Colin Thibadeau, Owner, The Lodge
Speaker – Kirk Imamura, President, Avatar Recording Studios

IAR students and AES members were treated to a night of insight and advice from industry experts with decades of experience in their respective fields. Several statements were made for building a successful career in any industry as well as audio which were, “Have a passion for it and create strong relationships with as many people as possible,” “Keep yourself relevant by constantly learning new technology,” “Work hard and never act as if you know everything already.” The audience was encouraged to join organizations like AES and the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE), and earn certifications which will introduce new opportunities. Kirk, studio owner, stressed the importance of learning your craft, “Get fast with ProTools and Logic and learn Melodyne for tuning, and do things to differentiate yourself from the masses.” The discussion was opened up to audience questions such as how to get an internship, resources for new technology research and development jobs, how the economy has affected large Broadway theater recordings, and many more. After the discussion ended, the panelists stayed to answer questions one on one and audience members networked with one another. For more information and how to join, please visit the Audio Engineering Society.