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Alix Alvarez Engineer, Producer, DJ
 After finishing his studies at IAR in the summer of 1999, Alix Alvarez began working at MAW Studios (formerly known as Bass Hit), owned by world renowned re-mixers Louie Vega and Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez. Learning from seasoned professionals, he became an increasingly competent engineer and producer and, while there, met many great artists including George Benson, Roy Ayers & Jody Watley. Alix saved enough to buy his own recording gear and started producing and remixing for artists such as Amy Winehouse, Jully Black (signed to Universal Records), and Miguel Migs. He then started an independent dance record label with partner Mr. V. called SOLE Channel Music, which he describes as “more dance music oriented but with an urban/hip hop feel.” The success of his label and remixes has helped him to tour the world DJing, and air a radio show, ‘The Chill Factor,’ every Thursday on XM radio channel 80 (The Move). Alix remembers IAR and how it helped him, “IAR’s Recording Workshop class, where we were in the studio and learned about tracking and recording was especially cool. IAR prepares you for what you encounter in a professional recording studio setting.” Alix’s advice to current students is, “When it comes to sound and engineering there are no rules, just guidelines. What you do with those guidelines is totally dependent on your personal tastes. All music and sound is subjective. Really use your ears. Learn to train them. Best of luck. Make some noise!” For more information on Alix visit myspace.com/alixalvarez.
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Georgia Aprile Gizmo Post
 After only a few months of graduating from IAR in August 2005, Georgia Aprile now edits video, audio and more for Gizmo Post. The audio and video and post production house, located in New York City, specializes in film, television, and new media.
Georgia shares what she has been up to, “Here at Gizmo, we do everything from authoring DVDs, commentaries and voiceovers for films, to making television commercials and creating graphics and audiobooks. Currently, we are doing all of the commentaries on Federico Fellini’s films and commentaries with the directors of Sin City (Robert Rodriguez) and Dazed and Confused (Richard Linklater). We’re also putting together the “South Park” 10th Anniversary Set.”
Georgia believes IAR taught her not just about the equipment used in the studio but about the whole audio business. Before coming to IAR, she was a roadie and had to know how to move equipment, but that was where her knowledge ended. After attending IAR, she understood more facets of the audio industry, and not only what she was doing but why. “I can troubleshoot any equipment problem without going into panic mode. IAR taught me how everything works together, so I can figure out what’s wrong and be back up and running quickly.”
Georgia goes to a lot of shows and enjoys them even more because she understands the ‘behind the scenes’ to the music, “I pay closer attention to the gear used, especially the front-of-house equipment like the live mixing console and the sound system.” Her advice to current students is, “Don’t miss classes. Don’t even be late! The information you’ll be exposed to is essential, especially when you first start working. Pay attention to what your mentors tell you. They will teach you important things you may not realize you have to know.”
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Neil Aviles Highline Ballroom
 Neil Aviles graduated IAR in August 2007 and, through the school’s Career Services Department, became an intern at the New York City club Highline Ballroom. There he found a mentor in engineer Peter Auslan, who is also the production manager at another popular Manhattan venue, the Annex. Neil was promoted to stage technician at the Highline Ballroom and currently still interns at the Annex. At both locations, he assists in load-in and load-out and helps with audio during shows. He has earned his certification on the venue’s Yamaha soundboard to run sound for live shows.
At the Highline Ballroom, Neil has worked on a range of productions for major artists (Stevie Wonder, Santana, Coheed and Cambria, Queen Latifah) as well as regional and local bands. Through the positions and experiences he has had, Neil has developed friends and contacts within the industry and has built a positive reputation. He stresses the importance of working very hard as an intern and listening and responding to the people around him. His mentor is always telling him to ‘work smart,’ meaning to think about his tasks and to complete them correctly, which helps greatly in the fast-paced environment of live sound. Neil values the education he received and the teachers at IAR like Zack Goldberg for Post Production Audio, Lisa Moyer for Ear Training and Acoustics, and Dan Grigsby for Recording Workshop. His advice for current students is: “Make sure you want this because, if you are not tested in IAR, you will be tested in the real world. So think long and hard, take the classes, talk to the teachers, and be confident about the decisions you make.”
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Mike Benavitch Live Sound Engineer
 Mike works in the high profile world of live sound reinforcement with high profile entertainers: P. Diddy, Shaba Ranks, Zack Wilde, Craig Mack, Mary J. Blige, and The Duprees. But for Mike, big name clients has not meant forgetting the fundamentals. His tip for aspiring engineers and producers: "Know your signal flow."
His equipment list includes the simple and the sophisticated, such as Crest 32x8 and Mackie 1604 consoles, Azure 200 processors, and Shure wireless microphone systems.
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Mark Berry Chairman and CEO - Attack Media Group
 It is difficult to find a more impressive audio resume than that of Mark Berry, who was part of IAR’s third graduating class in 1972. At IAR, Mark did his studio workshops at Vanguard Studios with then faculty member John Woram (who many in the industry believe wrote the best book on recording studio equipment of the era), and did his class work with school founders Irv Diehl and Al Grundy.
After graduation, Mark traveled to AIR Studios in London to work under the tutelage of Sir George Martin, legendary producer of The Beatles. After two years, Mark moved back to the United States, freelanced, and started at Vanguard Records, working his way up to Staff Producer and A&R Director. He left Vanguard when it was sold to the Welk Music Group, and successfully freelanced as a re-mixer and producer for almost a decade. In 1996, he relocated to Toronto, Cananda, where he met his wife and started Attack Records, owned by Attack Media Group.
Today, Mark is Chairman and CEO of Attack Media Group, whose mission is to target potential acquisitions in the music, film, and television industries as well as in children's and extreme sports. Mark has the responsibility of developing and executing the company's overall strategy and vision. This includes controlling worldwide licensing and broadcast rights to all Attack Filmworks and Overdrive X-treme visual/audio content and worldwide licensing deals in Asia, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, Benelux Customs Union, and the United Kingdom. AMG includes Attack Records, Kidz Attack Entertainment, AttackTrax Music Supervision, Attackin' Tunes Music Publishing, Attack Filmworks, Attack TV, Graffiti TV, Overdrive Xtreme Sports, Totally Useless T-Shirts, and Deevel Promotion & Marketing. He still finds time and enjoys producing three to four CDs a year.
Mark's growth and success occurred fairly quickly as the first record he received credit on was "You’re So Vain" by Carly Simon, a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in 1973. His production, engineering, and mixing credits also include recording artists such as David Bowie, Duran Duran, Billy Idol, Burton Cummings, and Yes. To learn more about Mark Berry, visit his website at www.markberry.com.
With all his great achievements, Mark still retains the perspective that "while the business has changed so much over the years, for me it's still all about the songs, making them sound good and delivering great performances."
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Carter Bostic Live Sound Engineer
 When Prince, The Dells and Tom Petty convened for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in 2004, Carter Bostic was on the scene. A professional stagehand and freelance live sound engineer, Carter has worked in the entertainment industry since graduating from IAR in 1997. He also handled live sound for Microsoft's promotional concert for MSN featuring Lenny Kravitz, The Ohio Players and Parliament Funkadelic.
In 2001, Cater was accepted into the apprenticeship program of the International Association of Stage and Theater Engineers (I.A.S.T.E.). He also worked in the Tribeca Film Festival with Black Eyed Peas, Van Morrison and Steve Winwood.
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Melissa Conley Live Sound Professional
 "Get involved:" that's Melissa Conley's secret to building a successful career as a live sound freelance professional. And, after building a client list that includes Dave Mason, Bruce Springsteen, The Uptown Horns, Vendetta Red, Socialburn, Jackson Browne, The Bacon Brothers and A New Found Glory, she advises IAR students to do the same.
“Get your name out there by getting involved in as many areas as you can,” Melissa says. “The more areas you have experience in, the easier it will be to find work.” When she graduated from IAR in 2000, she seemed destined for a broad base of knowledge, with interests in post production, live sound, stage lighting, and general technical and stagehand work. The recipe has all come together.
Though fluent in most live sound gear. Melissa's favorites are the Yamaha 01V digital mixing board and the Allen & Heath Mixwiz & GL Series analog mixing boards.
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Shania D AudioTwurk Productions
 Since graduating from IAR in 1999, Shania D has been building her career as a producer, emcee, singer and DJ. Her responsibilities require constant focus both as an artist and performer, and also as a businessperson. Shania D operates a music production company called AudioTwurk Productions and licenses her music to television and film. Her most recent licensing projects were a public service announcement for the Barack Obama presidential campaign and a commercial for greenforall.org, an organization dedicated to creating a healthy environment and decreasing poverty. As an artist, Shania D has toured all over the world with many popular performers, including Umar Bin Hussan of the Last Poets, MC Lyte, Dead Prez, and Vikter Duplaix. She is currently working on her debut album being recorded in the same studio used by Destiny’s Child, Jessica Simpson, Gwen Stefani and Pink. Shania D is working on side projects with the group 3-D and The Guestlist and is featured on The SIS-Tem’s “Female Perspective” mixtape.
It has almost been a decade since she graduated from IAR but Shania D still recalls the benefits of her education: “IAR gave me the confidence to pursue my career and I feel that I had a chance to be successful in my musical endeavors. I’d tell students never to give up and always be true to your word. There are always opportunities but you must meet them with preparation.” For more information on Shania D, check her out at shaniad.net and myspace.com/shaniad.
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Kate Dohaney Siblings Music, Inc.
 Kate graduated from IAR in June 2007. During school, she had been bartending at Parkside Lounge in New York City. She started running live sound for the venue’s bands each night and developed a rapport with many of the performers. She freelanced working live sound for them at different venues, and continued to create a network of contacts.
Meanwhile, she was interning as much as she could at Monster Island studio and then at 38Greene post-production house and at Sony, for Epic Records. 38Greene also shares its location space with a production studio called Siblings Music, Inc. It was at Epic that she saw how the music industry worked on a grand scale and realized that she wanted to work on the business side of the industry. To stay creative, and for enjoyment, she started a band with some co-workers at 38Greene. While practicing in the studio one night, one of the owners of Siblings Music, world famous composer Mario Grigorov, heard them playing and wanted to hear more. That led to a friendship and a respect for Kate’s work; later he and co-owner Marcus Smith offered her a full-time producer position.
Siblings Music does original music for film, TV, and ads. As a producer, Kate meets with their clients to determine what type of music they are looking for and then picks with whom to work from a global list of composers. She briefs the composer on the work, including the feel of it and possible instruments to use. The process goes back and forth between the client, Kate, and the composer until it's finished. The company is also starting a record label called Siblings Rivalry, and is currently searching for talent.
"It’s what you choose to do with your education that means something. Anyone can go to school and get the little piece of paper that says you passed, but that doesn’t mean anything if you’re not hungry and willing to do what it takes to achieve your goals."
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Alicyn Frenchman Advanced AV Systems Integration
 Aliycyn Frenchman graduated from IAR 1997. Since completing the program,She has been quite busy. In February of 1998, Alicyn spent four weeks in Japan as an assistant music supervisor for the CBS broadcast of the Nagano Olympics.
After CBS, she spent the next 8 years kicking around the pro-audio and pro-AV industry in a variety of positions including stagehand, audio engineer, project manager for audio visual installations and ultimately becoming a lead estimator for audio visual companies in New York.
In June 2006, her family moved south to the Philadelphia area where she currently works as a Sales Engineer for Advanced Audio Visual in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Last August, Ishe achieved CTS certification from InfoComm International as a certified technology specialist. InfoComm is the organization that sets standards for the professional audio-visual industry.
At Advanced Audio Visual, Alicyn provides engineering support for their sales staff. She assists in designing audio-visual systems and estimates labor and materials, including mounting devices, installed infrastructure cabling and power requirements. She also uses her experience and expertise in bid estimating for large-scale audios-visual installs including blueprint interpretation and drawing take-offs. These types of projects include corporate, government and education.
“IAR gave me the basis for understanding how audio systems work both in the recording studio and live sound. It also gave me the basis on how electronics work. Once you understand how signal-flow works, it doesn’t matter if you are in the studio or working on a concert or even installing a sound system in a boardroom or classroom. From there, it’s up to you to hook up with good sound and video people to help you with the rest.”
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Chris Gehringer Sterling Sound
 Where is the turning point on the way to mastering an album that sells 6 million copies in the U.S. and 12 million worldwide? Chris says it was one day in high school when he realized that knowing how to operate a P.A. system was more important to a rock band than long hair and tattoos.
Chris has come a long way. Currently at Sterling Sound where he mastered the worldwide phenomenon Shaggy's Hot Shot, Chris has also worked with Nas, Fat Joe, Dru Hill, LL Cool J and Musiq.
For Chris, IAR turned a hobby into a career. After graduating, he worked at Trutone Records in New Jersey before moving to Frankford-Wayne, where he met Tom Coyne and Herb Powers. When Coyne and Powers went to the Hit Factory in 1988, Chris went with them. There, Chris developed his specialty in hip-hop and R&B, working on landmark releases by Naughty By Nature, Mobb Deep, Wu Tang Clan and PM Dawn.
Today it doesn't matter how long Chris's hair is-he has found his niche in the music scene.
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Dan Hirschl WCBS-FM
 I was actually the last person to press the button for CBS – the oldies,” says Dan, the supervising engineer at WCBS-FM, now known as JACK-FM. Dan also gets to take care of the operation of the machinery, troubleshoot problems, go out and do remotes and supervise the union engineers.
Dan has been working with Infinity Broadcasting, which owns WCBS-FM, since before he started at IAR. He was an engineer for K-Rock, where he did remotes and worked on “Best of Stern” for the Howard Stern show, “Ozzfest” and other shows.
Dan came to IAR because “I like blinking lights and wires” and because he liked the school’s program: IAR instructors explained what was happening when he pressed a switch or made a cable, and why it was happening.
After graduating IAR in 2002, Dan soon landed a full-time engineering position with Radio Engineering Services, a company that contracts out engineers to service many stations in the Hudson Valley and farther north. The experience was what Dan needed to land his current high-responsibility engineering position with Infinity.
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Hardi Kamsani Engineer - Effanel Recording
 Hardi Kamsani graduated from IAR in 1997 and is now an Engineer at XM Satellite Radio’s Effanel Recording. Hardi assists the Mix Engineer in what they call the ‘remote truck’ for many XM Satellite Radio live events. The remote truck is a complete mobile digital studio. He is responsible for a range of tasks, including writing configurations on the digital console, making track assignments, and handling the signal leaving the remote truck to the production truck. “The entire signal path is digital, from the stage to our hard disc recorders and console. No buzzes, just pristine audio.” Hardi has worked on events and concerts such as the MTV Video Music Awards, the Grammys, the Dave Matthews Band in Central Park, and Phish concerts in Brooklyn, NY and Vermont, which were simulcast to movie theaters around the country. He particularly enjoys the environment and excitement of live sound. “Every performance is different. Every stadium, arena, concert hall and other venue has its own flavor. During a live award show, imagine having to turn bands around and finish a line check—during a commercial!” Prior to IAR and XM, Hardi worked as a monitor and systems technician in Singapore, China, but wanted to work in the U.S. After considering moving to Miami and California, he decided IAR and New York City was the best choice. His advice for current students is: “Be realistic and aware of the possibilities. There’s a lot out there besides mixing. Learn everything you can so you can eventually focus on what you decide is best for you. And sleep while you can because that becomes a luxury!”
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Mee Lee Engineer
 Since graduating in August 2004, Mee Lee has been engineering at both Integrated Studios and Broken for Good Records in New York. She has also started her own freelance engineering company. Some of the major projects that she has worked on include assistant engineering on Majestic 12's For Majic Eyes Only [2006 SMD BATB/SONY BMG] with renowned engineer and producer Carlos Bess, and engineering on 2Pac's Pac's Life [2006 Amaru Entertainment/Interscope Records].
Until September 2006, Mee Lee was an in-house audio engineer for Integrated Studios, a commercial recording studio in downtown Tribeca. She started out as an intern there and, within months, was engineering for major clients including G-Unit and Lauryn Hill. While she was at Integrated, the studio teamed with Walters-Storyk Design Group and Professional Audio Design and underwent a major renovation, the end product of which was featured on the July 2006 cover of Mix Magazine. Mee was also an engineer for indie label Broken for Good Records, where she ran live sound for concerts and engineered on projects for label artists including Jinny Kim's Finding Ophelia. Currently, she continues to freelance for both Integrated and Broken for Good Records while also concentrating on working with indie artists and developing her own company.
"Before attending IAR, I had no prior knowledge of sound or the audio industry. IAR has definitely provided a basic foundation of information that I've utilized in all of my sessions, from basic studio etiquette to engineering sessions on an SSL mixing console," she said.
Her advice to current IAR students and grads is to, "Have a good attitude. There's always something to learn. Be prepared for anything. Know your signal flow. Always start with the obvious. Sleep is a luxury. Trust your ears."
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Gavilán Longino Snapshot Sound
 Gavilán is one of a number of IAR grads to pursue the entrepreneurial route. In the fall of 2004, he started his own studio, Snapshot Sound, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. He's hoping Snapshot Sound will help low-budget artists break the ice by providing facilities a notch above those at other entry-level studios.
Before starting Snapshot Sound, the 2002 graduate became an engineer at Star Trax Production in midtown Manhattan. There, Gavilán did voiceover and narration-to-picture for different TV stations. He has worked on projects for "Animal Planet" and the TNT cable channel as well as with celebrity actors like Steve Irwin, better known as the Crocodile Hunter, and Angela Bassett.
Gavilán works with Pro Tools, Reason synthesizer software, and a Yamaha automated mixing console as well as many other hardware and software applications. Using this technology, he records his own material and demos for clients.
In 2003, IAR submitted Gavilán's mix of "Stronger Than Any Love" for the Pop/Rock Recording entry of the Audio Engineering Society Student Recording Competition. The track is now featured on the IAR Web site.
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Sergio Michel Artist, Engineer, Producer
 Sergio Michel graduated IAR in 2001 and has stayed active in music and the industry. Sergio has a wide variety of experiences as a songwriter and musician and engineer including touring, recording, mastering, and management. He is constantly recording and performing music and is endorsed by Dean Markley Strings and CAD microphones. He started an independent engineering and post production company and is an avid public speaker. Sergio is very interested in modulation, frequency anomalies, tone, and the science behind sound. The education IAR provided Sergio provided him with the tools to help answer his questions, “Whether it’s plugging in a guitar pedal to microphone placement, knowing what each instrument does and the different parts, or how certain materials react to each other, makes a huge difference in the outcome of your work. Studying at IAR, helped me understand why such things were, and how to benefit from them.” Sergio also enjoyed IAR’s classes covering frequencies, microphone dynamics, and wiring because they went into depth with equations, procedures, and techniques to explain why they were useful. His advice for students: “Study hard. Keep yourself out of trouble, and work fairly towards your goal. You'll get there.” For more information on tour dates and music by Sergio Michel visit sergiomichel.net.
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Jeffrey Musillo Writer & Freelancer
 Jeffrey Musillo graduated IAR in May 2004 and shortly after began working at Nickelodeon and was hired as a Production Assistant (P.A.) on the television show U-Pick Live. Jeff worked closely with the music producer until the show ended in June 2005. He used the connections he made while at Nickelodeon to work as a freelance P.A for television shows including Teen Nick with actors Nick Cannon and Lindsay Lohan. In August 2005, Jeff was hired by FUSE TV to work with its production management team setting up filming and controlling audio and visual equipment. He wrote two episodes for a show called Hip-Hop Confidential which helped him understand proper word placement and usage to make the show flow.
Outside of his career life, Jeff started writing his first book and later left FUSE TV to pursue writing full-time while freelancing for the Discovery Channel, the Comedy Central pilot The Greg Geraldo Show, working as an Assistant Engineer at the Manhattan studio Hobo Audio, and as the Music Producer for Nickelodeon’s ME: TV. In 2007 Jeff published the first volume of his three-part non-fiction book America’s Forgotten Children under his pen name MuZ. He plans to complete the final two volumes and release all three as a single book soon and has started his first fiction work as well.
Jeff’s active music and literary careers continue to grow and he states, “IAR was really the foundation. Without the schooling and the connections that came from the school, I would have never had the chance to break into the industry. Listen to the teachers because they are active in the industry. Everybody in the New York audio and television world has heard of IAR, and understands the caliber of people that come from the school. Pick the other students’ brains and get whatever you possibly can from each other.”
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Ken Newbury A/V Technician - McCann Systems
 When Ken Newbury graduated from IAR in 2002, he didn’t expect to get a job installing large-scale sound systems for businesses. When he enrolled at the school, he planned on working in a studio, but as he took IAR’s classes he found that he loved the challenge of creating a great sound system. Ken saw a job listing for an audiovisual technician and even though he felt he had much more audio experience than visual, as he put it, “The audio background was what counted.” He landed the exciting new position at McCann Systems, an audio and visual systems design firm and was happy to say, “At this new job, there seems to be IAR grads all over the place!”
Ken has worked on a variety of high profile audio projects for large companies. The multi-million-dollar projects have included a project for Alliance Capital installing new conference rooms with 100-inch projection screens, and installing the sound system for a stadium seating conference room for the shipping company Maersk. Ken feels a great sense of accomplishment at this position stating, “I just love starting with an empty space and seeing the system through from start to finish. You use cameras, plasmas, projectors, microphones and speakers and you create this all-consuming sound and visual experience out of nothing. It’s really rewarding when you’re all done.”
Ken has great advice for students thinking about the audio and visual environment; “Know everything. Don’t limit yourself to what you think you are most interested in. You have to think on your feet. A project manager will tell you to do something a certain way, but you’ll find that once you get to it, you have to figure out a slightly different approach. If you pick up as much as you can, you’ll be able to adjust and get the project done right.”
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John Oplinger Sinima Beat Productions
 Only 25 years old, John is on the fast track to audio success. An IAR graduate, John runs Sinima Beat Productions in Flushing, Queens, where he sells instumentals and provides studio time for up-and-coming artists.
John writes, produces, engineers, and plays multiple instruments (piano, drums, acoustic guitar, and the synthesizer). His songwriting has already made waves. In 2004, his song "Focus on the Game" won grand prize in the Hip-Hop category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and has been published by EMI. That is the fifth songwriting award John has received. He also won an award from the National Academy of Popular Music Songwriter¹s Hall of Fame and was a 2003 finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
In addition, IAR has used his music in the school¹s HOT 97 radio spots.
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Chris Payne Director/Audio Sales - Tekserve
 When Tekserve named Chris as Director of Audio Sales, the Apple Macintosh retailer said that his "skill and breadth of expertise" had helped to strengthen its position in the audio technology market. That's pretty high praise from a store that is already widely known for outstanding knowledge and service.
Now the IAR graduate is helping Mac loyalists and newbies alike use technology to craft mixes and melodies. More and more people want to use their computers to make music, and Chris helps them get started.
These responsibilities do not leave Chris with much free time, but when he has it, he enjoys singing and songwriting.
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Brian Quill G&E Music
 When HBO, MTV, Showtime and PBS need soundtracks for film and video projects, IAR graduate Brian Quill is one of the talents they tap. Brian's advice to IAR students? "Go to class. Learn the outboard gear backwards and forwards."
Whether backwards, forwards or whatever direction, Brian has established himself as a post-production engineer at G&E Music in New York City. He uses Pro Tools Mix Plus (DAW), Avalon class A pre-amplifiers, Hardy (DSP), Amek and Mackie consoles, and Drawmer dynamics.
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Vernil Rogers Dreamland Studios
 Vernil Rogers graduated from IAR in May of 2004. Since then he has been a producer and engineer at Dreamsound Studio, and has worked with such artists as Jim Jones, Bizzy Bone and Remy Ma. Vernil also works at the famous NYC jazz club, Birdland. At Birdland, his responsibilities include setting the bands up with their equipment and running a sound or line check. When the show begins he runs live sound, making sure that everything sounds great for the audience by edging and shifting levels on the mixing console on the fly. IAR helped Vernil to understand the theory and technology behind his work. “There’s a big difference between knowing how and why something works verses that it’s just supposed to. At Dreamsound Studio, I set up the studio sessions and make sure everything is ready to go when my clients arrive. Learning Pro Tools at IAR has given me a tremendous advantage. I use Pro Tools constantly when I am recording or producing a session. Having learned what quick keys are in Pro Tools has helped me to work more efficiently, thus saving the client time and money. IAR also taught me how to mic live instruments properly, which has enabled me to capture the best possible sound whether on stage or in the studio.” Vernil’s advice to current IAR students is: “Know what signal flow is and how it works! Without it you won’t go anywhere in these positions. Real world experience can only teach about problems as they arise in the studio and on stage.”
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Dr. Randall Royer Black Hills State University
 Dr. Randall Royer graduated from IAR in 1974. In the following years he worked as an engineer at a number of recording studios while continuing his education. In 1980 he received a Bachelors of Music Education from South Dakota State University and took a position as the Instrumental Music Director at Uinta County School District in Evanston, Wyoming. For the next 17 years he taught music classes and directed the Concert and Jazz Bands for grades 5-12. During that time he secured a Masters of Arts in Music Education from the University of Wyoming and then a Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Utah. In 1997, Dr. Royer started his current position as a Professor of Music and the Music Director/Conductor at Black Hills State University (BHSU) in Spearfish, South Dakota. In addition to teaching classes, he also directs the BHSU Jazz Ensemble and the Dakota Chamber Orchestra in residence at BHSU. In 2006, in acknowledgement of his impressive academic career and accomplishments at Black Hills State University, he was selected by his peers to receive the prestigious Distinguished Faculty Award. Dr. Royer also teaches a Technology in Music class for prospective music teachers including subjects such as audio recording and live sound. He is also in charge of the University’s recital hall recording room and still uses his education from IAR, “Even though the equipment has changed drastically, I still find I use several of the key principles in recording techniques. My advice for current students is to learn as much as possible, don’t be afraid of the ‘little’ jobs, take every opportunity to better yourself and always do the best possible work.”
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Alberto Santamaria Digital Audio Specialist - dBm Pro Audio/Music Services
 Alberto graduated from IAR in 1999. Even before completing his courses at the Institute he was interning at dBm Pro Audio Music Services in New York as a repair technician. There he sharpened his electronic skills to the point where he is now the head of the Digital Recording department. He works on everything from DAT, and DA-88s, to Digidesign Pro Tools systems. Alberto's responsibilities do not stop at repairing digital equipment. He can and does repair almost anything analog. In short, he is a self-proclaimed "digital junkie" who is "pretty much in love with the science of audio and electronics."
As an important maintenance technician for dBm, Alberto has traveled across the country acquiring advanced training and certification from Crown, Roland, TASCAM, and Digidesign, among others. He is frequently invited to present seminars on maintenance and production topics at all the major music conventions around the country.
Alberto's major clients are organizations like Sony Studios, The Hit Factory, NBC and Sound on Sound, to name but just a few. Not limited to working for the biggies, he can count industry artists like Steve Jordan, Jay Z, Puff Daddy and Fun Loving Criminals as his clients.
"My goal in the future is to make sure that in the music industry, when people talk about repairing something, they think first of me as a tech and dBm as the company where they can get their gear fixed."
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Karriem Shabazz Tekserve
 If you've recently been to Tekserve, the Macintosh retailer, to ask about digital music systems, chances are you've talked to Karriem Shabazz. The 2000 IAR graduate is now a jack-of-all-trades for music technology at the respected Mac-fanatic outpost. He is a specialist in the Pro Audio department and handles sales, technical consulting and support. While working there, Karriem has set up systems for Memphis Black and other artists.
Karriem hit the ground running after attending IAR. He went to work for Atlantic Records as the Assistant to the Executive Vice President of its Division One label. He then became an assistant at Unique Recording Studios in New York City. There, he worked with producers and engineers George Karas, Steve Eeigner, Derek Jackson and Tony Dofat.
Karriem is also working on an indie rap album in his project studio, using ASR-10, ASR-X-PRO, Logic Platinum, Reason, and, of course, a Mac.
Karriem says IAR students should be ready for opportunities to jump at them from any direction. "Keep your eyes open for any and all opportunities," he says, "because you never know which one will open that door for you."
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Brent Spear CTE - The Hit Factory
 The Hit Factory lives up to its name as one of the world's most famous recording studios, and Brent is one of the people that makes every note sound so good. The IAR graduate is the Hit Factory's Chief Technical Engineer.
With the impressive title comes a staggering range of responsibilities, but Brent is well prepared to handle it all in stride. He is responsible for maintenance, installation and keeping the studios and mastering suites in tip-top condition around the clock. This requires knowing how to use both old and new equipment. Brent says, "I have to know how to handle our SSL 9080 XL consoles and 192 kHz digital workstations, which are used on current projects, as well as technology of the past for projects such as transferring original Elvis Presley 3-track analog tapes to a current digital format."
Brent's wide range of knowledge has paid off in the form of a long credit list that includes Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Elvis and Wyclef Jean.
Brent also assisted with the construction and installation of The Hit Factory's two newest rooms, one of which won a TEC award for studio design.
After graduating in the early 90's, Brent began his engineering career at IAR as an assistant maintenance engineer. He then joined the engineering staff at the legendary Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village. Then he came upon an offer to work at The Hit Factory, and Brent has been there since.
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Jason Spittle Coyote Studios
 A recent graduate of IAR that has made a name for himself as an engineer at Brooklyn's Coyote Studios, Jason has one piece of advice for aspiring audio professionals: read. "Read everything you can about music and production," Jason says.
Jason has put his own advice to good use. He has engineered sessions for They Might Be Giants, Sepultra and Shane MacGowan.
Jason works with an impressive mix of analog and digital equipment, including a large format API 3288 console, UREI and Manley tube processors, a Studer A827 2" 24-track analog recorder, and a Pro Tools Mix plus system.
Whatever new technologies come along, Jason is equipped to turn them into more exciting work.
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Pyeng Threadgill Producer and Artist
 When Pyeng came out with her first album, Sweet Home: The Music of Robert Johnson (Random Chance Records), in 2004, she received critical acclaim from many national jazz and blues publications. News sources like The New York Times and The San Francisco Chronicle praised the album as well, and The San Diego Union-Tribune called it "2004's most captivating debut album."
New York native Pyeng is the daughter of avant-garde jazz legend Henry Threadgill and of Christina Jones, a choreographer, dancer and founding member of the Urban Bush Women. She says her father encouraged her to listen to all different kinds of music, and her diverse musical tastes have given her an "eclectic, decidedly unorthodox" (The Chronicle) and "very rare and special" (AllAboutJazz.com) style that is all her own. Pyeng completed her second CD, Of The Air, which is what her name means, in 2005.
Pyeng came to IAR in 1999 after graduating from Oberlin College. She wanted to learn about audio production and the business, but came out with much more. Pyeng finds that because of her IAR education, she can distinguish between smaller differences in sound, understands better what her engineers can do with her music and has the ability to succeed in the audio industry.
After graduating IAR, she gained professional audio experience by working for Peace Bisquit, a New York-based music company. Now, she's excited that with her new album, she's getting the opportunity to produce her own songs. She's also planning to start on new projects, including her own music videos.
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Luiz Tornaghi Latin Grammy Winner
 Luiz graduated from IAR in 1993 and, after spending two more years in NYC, returned to Rio de Janeiro in 1995 to work at Visom, one of the main mastering studios in Brazil, where he eventually became Chief Engineer. Visom recorded and mixed at 96 kHz as soon as the technology became available, which gave Luiz the opportunity to work on the cutting edge, creating some of the first masters in 5.1 for DVD, DVD-audio, and SACD. Of special importance was a project he did in 2001 in which he transcribed and restored (from acetate records) 12,000 Brazilian songs that were recorded from 1902 until the 1950s.
Over the years, Luiz has had the privilege of mastering and mixing for some of Brazil's foremost artists, including Maria Bethania, Ivan Lins (for which he won a Latin Grammy for "Album of the Year" in 2005), Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Joao Donato, Francis Hime, Paulinho da Viola, and Simone, among many others.
Today, Luiz is a partner in the mastering studio Batmastersom, which has a 5.1 system with B&W 805 speakers and does all processing with computers. In Luiz's words, "we are finally at a point where, if you are very careful about every aspect of your system, you can have an all-digital signal path with enough quality to get any job done and have the invaluable advantage of instantaneously tweaking details anytime throughout a project."
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George Tucker Crestron Electronics
 George Tucker graduated from IAR in 1992 and jumped onto a diverse career path. He went to work at the famous New York City studio Electric Lady, whose clients include U2, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Guns N’ Roses, The White Stripes, and many more. After a year in the studio, he joined one of the leading audio, video, and lighting companies in the New York region, Scharff Weisberg, where he remained for over nine years. He began as the Lead Rental Technician, testing the equipment to be used for events, and then moved up to a Staging Technician, where he set up the AV equipment and operated it during events. George continued to advance in live production and became the Show Control Specialist, where he would design, program, run, and maintain automation AV systems for live events. He has worked on many projects including those at The National Museum of the American Indian, Sting at the Beacon Theatre, MTV Music Awards, and Blue Man Group.
Currently, George is the Manager of Applications Engineering ("AE") at Crestron Electronics, a world leading manufacturer of high-end control and automation systems for audio, video, computer, IP, and environmental systems. An AE is the tech support for all Crestron hardware and software products for clients who also tests any new products before public release. George has also contributed to the first book written on the subject of entertainment control systems by John Huntington titled Control Systems for Live Entertainment. He also maintains a tech blog for AV automation, tuckerstuesday.typepad.com/tuckerstuesday/.
George took the education he received from IAR and applied it to a successful career; he says, "IAR's focus on providing students with the fundamentals, as well as practical hands-on experience, has instilled in me the basic method of understanding technical systems which I have applied to every technology I have encountered since. School is only the very beginning of a career; it is your motivation which will make a life's work possible."
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Sergio Ventura Engineer
 Like many native New Yorkers, Sergio grew up looking at all the entertainers in his home town and wanted a piece of the action. He enrolled at IAR to become a studio manager and engineer.
Today, Sergio is entrenched in the business he once only hoped to get involved in. He is a freelance audio engineer for two recording studios, a staff engineer for Boondog Recording Studios and a comedy producer for two popular radio stations serving the Latin market.
Sergio has finished his first remix single for Taino Entertainment on Baila Baila. He has also assisted in sessions for Frankie Knuckles and the Flashcubes, a pop rock band.
The IAR grad is doing radio mixes for the band Lo Montro (Phaze One Records) and remixing for Subterranean and DJ Wit (Undersuspicion Records). He has worked with engineers including Mike Rogers and David Sussman and producers such as Roger Pauletta.
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Vonne Williams President - Joy Full Noiz
 Vonne found unexpected career aspirations at IAR and couldn't be happier with the way things turned out. A 1995 IAR grad, Vonne originally planned to be a producer but instead was inspired by live sound. Now the owner of a sound reinforcement company, Joy Full Noiz, Vonne has come a long way.
Vonne has worked with a wide variety of studios and clients. High-profile studios such as MTV, Wu-Tang Clan Studios, and Unique Recording Studios have requested her services. She has also worked with an acoustical measurement firm, Acoustilog, hip-hop legend Notorious B.I.G. and his Brooklyn crew, Junior M.A.F.I.A., as well as helping to set up Gospel Music Workshop of America, an annual convention that brings together gospel music from around the world.
Now Vonne is happy to take Mackie Mixers and Shure Microphones and make live sound rock the shows of her Joy Full Noiz clients. She also uses Epson LCD Projectors and other equipment in her multimedia presentations and event technology support.
Vonne's advice for IAR students: "Be open to all your possibilities. Don't put yourself into a box and think that that's all you can do. The sky is the limit."
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Ben Amanna DaMan Productions
 Ben Amanna graduated from IAR in August 2005. Through IAR's Career Services department, he secured a six-month internship at DaMan Productions, a Hip-Hop and R&B recording studio in midtown Manhattan. Within months, he was promoted to the position of a full-time engineer. Ben succeeded rapidly at DaMan by putting as much time and energy as he could into his work, and by watching and learning from the engineers and producers at the studio. One night, a client needed an engineer and none of the regulars were available, so Ben was asked to do the session. He impressed the studio with his performance, and that led to his promotion.
While at DaMan Productions, Ben has recorded and mixed for many artists including Uncle Murda on Roc-A-Fella Records, Maino on Atlantic Records, DJ Green Lantern from Hot97 Radio, and Boot Camp Clik. IAR helped Ben to build a solid technical foundation in audio recording and music production and to understand on-the-job skills that helped him build strong relationships with the studio's clients. Creating trust between the artist and engineer fosters a positive environment and propels a successful recording session. Also, Ben highly values the relationship he built with the faculty at IAR: "Besides the fact that IAR provided me with a vast amount of technical knowledge, the teachers were working engineers in the business and knew how to spark interest in a subject. Before I went to IAR, I really wasn't positive about what I wanted to do, career-wise. They helped me figure it out and pushed me forward." For more information on Ben, visit myspace.com/benamanna or contact him at benamanna33@gmail.com.
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Jonathan Avila Power 105.1 FM
 After graduating from IAR in March of 2005, Jonathan Avila, professionally known as "DJ Yonny," started as a promotional intern at the popular New York radio station Power 105.1 FM. As an intern, he promoted artists such as Fat Joe, Marcus Houston, Chris Brown and Mary J. Blige.
Now, Jonathan is the assistant producer for the popular morning radio show "Star and Buc Wild." He has also made an appearance on Egypt's show. Jonathan has also become interested in being a video jockey, with the encouragement of his co-workers at Power 105.1.
When Jonathan is not producing at the radio station, he pursues his first love: being a DJ. Jonathan started at the age of 11 and was influenced by Cash Money, DJ Red Alert and DJ Jazzy Jeff. Since then, he has DJ'd for the Black Eyed Peas and worked with other well-known DJ's and artists up and down the East Coast.
Jonathan chose to attend IAR because of the location, program, and experienced faculty. He says instructor Jake Ninan had the most impact on him, teaching digital technology in a way that was easy to understand.
While attending IAR in 2005, Jonathan became involved in the "Remix Live" events, "Producing Your Song" demos and IAR Open Houses, paving the way for other students to perform and participate in the school's events.
Jonathan's advice to IAR students is to be pro-active and learn from others. "This is your dream and passion. Take your own initiative to pursue your career goals. Once you start working somewhere, be inquisitive and most of all, network. Talk to people, ask questions, meet new people, and show interest in other areas. Don't limit yourself."
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Gabriel Barahona Broadcast Engineer - Ascent Media Network Services
 Gabriel Barahona graduated IAR in 1995 when his friend and fellow IAR graduate was working at Ascent Media and told him to check it out. Now Gabriel works there as a Broadcast Engineer and stresses the importance of keeping contact with IAR classmates. Ascent Media is the world’s largest provider of integrated global services for the creation, management and distribution of media content. They work with major film studios, independent producers, broadcast networks, cable channels, and advertising agencies. Basically, media content is sent from its source through fiber optic cables and routers to the end user’s television sets. Gabriel is in charge of installing and repairing fiber optic equipment and routers, working directly with Ascent Media customers to ensure that the content is being directed to the right sources, “So, for example, Reuters sends us a lot of financial NASDAQ information, which we decode and send out to WPIX, CNN, and whoever else wants it.” IAR provided Gabriel with the basic understanding of audio signals and functionality of electronic parts which is important in his position, “The technology is fascinating and, while it is complicated at first, it’s pretty simple once you figure it out. The work is really exciting because I get to see live-action feed before anyone else does.”
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Thom Berkley EastSide Sound
 Thom Berkley graduated from IAR on April 1st, 2005. He has been working at Eastside Sound recording studio in New York City for two years and eventually was promoted to studio engineer. Thom is responsible for everything from setup to the final product. Using Pro Tools, he records and mixes sessions at Eastside Sound. He has worked on projects ranging from Les Paul's latest tribute album ‘Les Paul and Friends-American Made World Played: 69 Freedom Special’ and Les Paul’s ‘Caravan’, which both won Grammy Awards. The Les Paul album includes artists like Sting, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Joss Stone, Peter Frampton and Keith Richards. Thom has also worked with jazz legends Lee Konitz and Randy Weston and hip-hop acts such as Saigon and Tony Sunshine. Thom also does freelance live sound and production.
Regarding his education at IAR and advice for students, Thom states, “IAR exposes you to ideas and equipment that you'll end up being around in the real world, such as Pro Tools, signal processing and proper mixing environments. It helped me understand the equipment as well as the recording and mixing fundamentals I was around when I was assisting. Get started early and take it seriously. I was interning before I even started at IAR. If you're not willing to pay your dues, you don't really want it. IAR is necessary preparation, but of course, nothing compares to real experience. Stay focused and devoted. As long as you really want it you'll get somewhere.”
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Alex Bess Def Jam Records
 Alex, a 2002 graduate of IAR, works at Def Jam Records doing in-house editing, TV tracks, light recording and syncing commercials. He came to Def Jam from Arista Records, where he worked in the A&R department for Radio and Television Promotions. At Arista, he had worked for Antonio "L.A." Reid. After Arista closed, L.A. asked Alex to come with him to Def Jam and, as Alex says, "the rest is history."
Alex has worked with such artists as Da Brat, Bone Crusher, Anthony Hamilton as well as Natasha and Lupe Fiasco.
Alex's favorite pieces of production gear are the Pro Tools Digidesign 002, U-87 mic, dBx 38x, and AW Sub Speakers.
Alex says a broad base of experience is the key to success. He advises current IAR students: "Don't limit yourself to just one platform. Do as much as you can in as many areas of the music industry as you can."
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Sean Carolan Project 35 Film Productions
 Sean Carolan graduated from IAR in February 2007 and became the Program Director for the school's radio station, IARadio, where he created content and helped to implement new student radio shows. He soon accepted a position at Project 35 Film Productions as a digital video editor. Project 35 is a video production company specializing in professional videos for models, actors, and their agencies. Some of their clients include Ford Models Inc., Race Model Mgmt., and Major Model Management. Sean receives 5 minutes of raw video footage from the shoots and creates a 20- to 30-second video piece fitting client specifications. Some projects require voice-overs or dialogue, which need to be synchronized with the video. One of Sean's original music compositions, or other music, is added to complete the project, which is then sent for client approval. In addition to editing videos, Sean occasionally shoots them himself.
The array of skills Sean uses professionally at Project 35 began while attending IAR. His favorite class was the post production lab with instructor Lyell Loyd, which introduces students to the production of an audio soundtrack synched to video, "This was something I had no experience with, and yet I eventually got an internship and then landed a job. There is something very challenging and rewarding from creating sounds or scoring a clip." Another lesson he learned at IAR, in classes such as The Business of Music and Industry Practicum, is that the music industry is a real business and must be taken seriously. His advice: "Do it! Learn it! Work it! Don't take anything you learn for granted; it will become useful someday."
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Jeff Crews Studio Engineer - House of Hits
 "I thought I knew engineering before I started at IAR, but my understanding of what it really takes didn't happen until I studied here," says Jeff Crews, who graduated from IAR in 1992. Now he brings IAR students into his studio assignments whenever possible. "I don't have to worry about their knowledge as I would with graduates from the other New York schools, so I'll always pick an IAR grad over anyone else."
Jeff also credits teacher Ron Ajemian ("he went the extra mile, working with me until I got it") and Graduate Placement Director Reldalee Wagner ("she was invaluable in getting me on my career path"). He enjoys hiring and mentoring IAR grads as a way to pay back these IAR teachers and others that have helped him along the way.
After attending IAR, Jeff started engineering at Variety Recording, the only Latin music studio in NYC at the time, then moved to House of Hits. He has also worked at many well-known studios as an engineer and studio manager. His projects with DLG, Will Downing and Frankie Negron were nominated for Grammy awards.
Jeff's recent discography includes work for Sony/EMI, Ralston Hill, Capitol Records, Narada Records, Motown Records, W.E.A. International, Universal and RCA in genres that include Latin, R&B, Hip Hop, rock and jazz. He is currently working on a project with the legendary jazz saxophonist Ornette Coleman.
His advice to IAR students: "Know your skills, show up on time with the right attitude, and people will come along to help you achieve success."
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Joe Demby Chung King Studios
 2003 IAR graduate Joe "Moose" Demby is currently putting his audio skills to work at New York's famous Chung King Studios, where he is in charge of operations, staff bookings, billing, client relations, and studio expansion. "I sell time, which means I communicate with independent and major record labels, managers, and artists wanting to use the studio. I also coordinate with the head technician, decide which assistant engineer gets to be on a session, what plug-ins to purchase for our rigs, and ultimately which artist works in which room," he said.
He described how he worked his way up the ladder: "After about three months of scrubbing floors and getting coffee, I began to assist on sessions and help with office work. After six months, I had earned a paid position involving the billing and invoicing of labels. I continued to work in the office while helping the owner build out studios for about six months, until the studio manager left the company, at which time I was promoted into the position because I showed my superiors that I was indispensable."
When he's not at the studio, Joe also DJs at weddings, private functions, parties, and clubs, and he has produced music for film, television, theatre, dance, and documentaries. He just finished an album to be released later this year on Raptivism Records, entitled Protest in Disguise, for a spoken-word artist from New Orleans.
"IAR opened my eyes and ears to the many different frequencies we hear, or do not hear, every day. Both a blessing and a curse, it has made me so much more aware when listening to music; I appreciate how much more is going on than just sight and sound. Without the knowledge I gained at IAR, I would never be able to converse with world-class engineers and understand what they're referring to, whether it's a microphone pre-amp or standing waves occurring in a room."
When asked what advice he has for current IAR students, he replied, "Stay after class and spend extra time with the instructors. You're paying for an education, and the instructors at IAR are experienced in real-world audio. They will have extremely relevant information for you to learn. Create a relationship with the staff and fellow students, because you never know when you may need them, or they you, in the future. Start to get an idea of what you want to do, and ask around to see how you can make it happen."
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Jenna Emens NYCTV
 Jenna Emens graduated from IAR in 1996, and she has been working in the industry ever since. Jenna began her career at Unique Recording, where she worked as an audio tech for two years before moving into mixing bands. From there, she decided to get into post-production and went on to work at East Side Audio as a technician and editor for two years, Howling Trout and Steel Rose for three years, as well as Hothead and SoundHound, all located in New York.
Currently, Jenna is at NYCTV and has been nominated for a New York Emmy in sound design for her work on the show Secrets of New York. Her responsibilities at the station include sound design and mixing for fourteen different thirty-minute television shows, and she is also the announcer on most of NYCTV's commercials.
"When the companies I applied for saw that I went to the Institute of Audio Research, they were impressed. They know that IAR is the real deal! They trusted that, with an IAR certificate, I was qualified to start at an entry-level position. It has helped my career tremendously, and I am proud to say I went to IAR."
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Diego Garrido Sound Box Productions
 Diego was a musician who decided to enroll in IAR so he could understand what recording studios were doing with his music - and do it better himself. Now a successful engineer and sound designer who creates soundtracks for TV and movies, Diego combines his musical abilities with the technical knowledge he got at IAR.
The owner of his own studio, Sound Box Productions, Diego combines his bass and guitar playing with samples, MIDI, and analog synthesizers to create soundtracks for well-known shows. He's worked on "The Simpsons," "Dilbert," "Futurama," School of Rock, The Squid and the Whale, and many more. Five of his songs for MTV's "Laguna Beach" and "Real World: Philadelphia" are now on iTunes.
Diego graduated IAR in 1990 and got one of his first engineering jobs at Chung King Studios, where he worked in the early days of hip-hop with some of its biggest names, including Biohazard, Onyx, The Ramones, and Nas. He tells IAR students they can succeed if they stay in audio for the right reasons: "Make sure you really love what you're doing."
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Kevin Griffin Integrated Studios
 Kevin is one of those people who likes to know everything. “Every job in the studio is important,” he advises aspiring engineers. This approach seems to work: Diddy, Mary J. Blige, Foxy Brown, and LL Cool J are just some of the clients that value both his technical skills and his personal attention.
Kevin works his magic at Integrated Studios using Pro Tools HD, Manley tube processors, Focusrite, API and UREI, in addition to video editor Final Cut Pro.
Kevin can't emphasize enough how important a broad base of knowledge is. “Learn to multitask and know your signal flow,” he says. “From fixing cables to the final mix, it's all important. Learn everything.”
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Stephen Joseph Engineer - EastSide Sound
 Stephen Joseph graduated from IAR two years ago and was recently promoted to an engineering position at EastSide Sound recording studios in New York City. He has already worked with some of the biggest names in the music business. He works closely with producer/engineer Fran Cathcart, and is in charge of setting up the sessions, recording, mixing and editing.
Stephen engineered the album, Strength, for trumpeter Roy Hargrove and his group, The RH Factor, which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. Stephen tells of a time he spent working with Mariah Carey; “She came for a day with producer Randy Jackson to EastSide Sound to lay down the three-piece horn section and create the beat for one track of her upcoming album. She was an extremely nice person and knew a lot about the entire studio process.”
In addition to the Carey sessions, Stephen says, “We’re going to be working on a tribute album for guitarist Les Paul’s 90th birthday. The man is a legend for his development of the electric guitar and multi-track recording technology.”
Stephen’s first internship came out of a conversation he had with one of his IAR instructors, Rick van Benschoten, “I was usually the first one in class, and I started chatting with him. We were discussing our favorite bands, and I mentioned that mine was the Black Crowes. He told me that he was recently in contact with the Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson, who had opened his own personal studio in midtown called Keyhole Productions. Within a week I was interning there for one of my heroes.”
Stephen’s advice for current students is to get along with everyone, and be willing to do whatever it takes to get to the next level. Be open-minded and learn how to do everything in the studio.
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John Klett President & Engineer
 John Klett graduated from IAR in 1976 and over his 30 plus years in the industry built a successful career as an engineer, technician and business owner. “IAR gave me a good start and I met some good people in my class: Mark Terry who went off and had a good run at New England Digital and then as President of Harmon Pro and Steve Tillisch did quite well as an engineer at Capricorn Records.”
John started out as a freelance engineer and then went to All Platinum Studios as an Assistant Recording Engineer. He was hired into technical support and installation for the North East office of Trident Audio, working intimately with audio consoles and automation systems. His experience grew and he began managing hundreds of audio and video installation projects across the United States for companies such as Martin Audio Video, Audio Kinetics and AMS Neve. He is currently the Technical Director for SevenSeas Studio and SevenSeas Media Management which is building a music-centric multimedia production facility in Chelsea, NYC. He is also the Owner/President of Tech Mecca Inc. and Singularity Enterprises Inc. in NY. Both companies provide audio engineering and technical consulting and design services for a range of audio industry companies, including recording studios, post-production facilities, and audio equipment manufacturers. His advice for current students is: “Be willing to work long hours AND you have to be good all the time. There are fifty more just like you standing outside the door.” For more information on John and his companies visit technicalaudio.com.
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Garrison Leykam Producer - CPTV
 Garrison Leykam was one of IAR’s first graduates in 1974. Garrison’s active audio career spans over three decades and includes many facets of the music industry. Currently, he is the Host and Co-Producer of the DINERS TV series for CPTV (Connecticut Public Television). CPTV is the sponsor of many national documentaries as well as children’s programming and received 18 Emmy nominations last year, the most of any Connecticut television station. Prior to CPTV, Garrison worked as a Producer and Director of Recording Studio Operations for London Records, Inc. He has produced bands such as Greezy Wheels, chart-topping singer-songwriter Leslie Pearl and legendary jazz pianist Erroll Garner. As Director of Recording Studio Operations he oversaw mastering albums by The Rolling Stones, The Moody Blues, Al Green, Van Morrison, Dave Edmunds, Thin Lizzy, ZZ Top and many other super groups and artists.
Garrison is also a musician and has performed at many of New York City’s popular clubs. After over thirty years, Garrison implements the tools and education he gained at IAR. “IAR provided me with ‘sound’ recording and mixing techniques and provided me with ideas regarding arranging and producing which I continue to build on.” His advice for current students is: “Learn everything you can in the IAR courses and curriculum. These are fundamentals that will be useful to you throughout your career. When you have these, you are much more likely to trust your creative instincts and explore unique channels for your talents that will help you produce your best work. IAR grads truly stand out in the industry.” For more information on Garrison visit DinersTVshow.com.
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Scott McIntosh Headroom Digital Audio
 After graduating from IAR, Scott McIntosh immediately starting working at HSR, a post-production house in New York, for about 3 years and then I moved back to my hometown Detroit, where I started working at Ron Rose Productions. Scott then moved back to the New York and started working at another post facility, McHale Barone where he remained for the next seven years. This is where Scott learned most how to work and deal with clients and became more of a professional. From there, Scott moved on to Headroom Digital Audio, a newer post-production facility in New York.
At Headroom, Scott is mixer, sound designer and he also does a lot of radio commercials, as well as a good amount of television spots as well. According to Scott, Radio is his forte. He has have handled projects for major advertising agencies including BBDO, Publicis, Hill Holiday, JWT, and Lowe Worldwide. Scott has also mixed commercials and other projects for Verizon Wireless, Canadian Club, Heineken, Cingular, Lipton Iced Tea, Saab and Malibu Rum. “I feel IAR really helped me to get that first job at HSR. Try to humble yourself before you take that first intern/PA/asst. gig. Be confident, but not cocky. I’ve seen so many guys/gals come in the door & think there going to have a “seat” in 6 months because they’ve done some project for their friends college film or they make beats & think they can do it all. It’s a process, sit back watch, listen & learn. You’re going to have to do some hard work. Take it in stride & keep your eye & the prize.”
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Suzy Mucciarone Maryland Sound International
 Shortly after graduating from IAR Suzy Mucciarone began working for a live sound and touring company in Baltimore, Maryland called MSI (Maryland Sound International). Doing so has found Suzy working in quite a varied field, from local performances (Roberta Flack, Rachelle Ferell, Jewel, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Frank Sinatra Jr. and Little Feet), to large corporate shows, such as formal events at the White House, The 2005 Presidential Inauguration, The Times Square New Years Eve Celebrations and concerts including U2, Alicia Keys, Bruce Springsteen, BB King and Michael McDonald. Being on the road is what Suzy loves. She has been on the road with Hall & Oats, first as their stage technician and monitor engineer for the support acts, and now as their systems engineer and front of house (FOH) technician for the support acts. Suzy oversees a wide range of things, from tour prepping the gear at the shop and maintaining it on the road. “Before attending IAR, I was a Production Engineer for a Top 40/AC Radio Station. I quickly learned that while “hands-on” learning is essential, not having a solid educational foundation was quite frustrating and ultimately, a disadvantage. Trial and error is popular, but often costly and will not yield the result you want. IAR gave me my solid foundation. By fully understanding how audio generates, moves, flows, and how sound can be affected and manipulated, I learned not only how to get the best sound from a system and environment, but more importantly, how to avoid making costly mistakes. In touring and the live sound industry knowing how to do your job extremely well is half of your job. Knowing what to do when things go wrong, shows your true value. When problem solving, understanding everything from grounding to signal flow, allows you to engineer a clean and great sounding system, because no matter what, the show starts at 8!”
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Michael Napoli West West Side Studios
 Michael Napoli graduated from IAR in November 2006 and began an internship at Sony Music Studios in New York City. In June 2007, he was hired by West West Side Studios in New Windsor, NY as a staff assistant; he continues to work there now. West West Side Music has been a mastering studio for the recording industry for 15 years. Their audio mastering services cater to major record labels with fast-paced production demands as well as indie labels and artists with budget considerations. As a staff assistant, Michael has the wonderful opportunity to assist the engineers on studio projects from around the world. He helps maintain client relations and is also contributing mightily to West West Side’s design and construction of a surround sound studio and an analog mixing room. He continues to develop his project studio experience and produces and mixes artists’ music.
"I received a great education from the faculty at IAR who have been in the music industry, and it helped me to succeed in my current position. You need to take constructive criticism seriously and learn from it. Also, it's important to build relationships with those around you and always ask questions."
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Shawn O’Connor Music Instructor
 Shortly before graduating in June 07, Shawn O’Connor launched a career strategy to immerse himself in many different facets of the audio industry. For starters, Shawn has been recording and mixing guitars and comping vocals for Larry Dvoskin, a freelance producer and engineer. Comping is the process of lifting vocal segments from multiple, duplicate tracks and combining them into one final track. Within a short while, Shawn networked himself to obtaining gigs at Media Recording Studios and at PLP Music, working with Steve Young and assisting with vocal comps and production for the artist Sunny. Through a relationship built with engineer George Marshall, Shawn worked the soundboard and EQ for the summer concert series at Jones Beach in New York.
In September, Shawn then started a teaching position with Jellybean Junction, a regional child music education program, and is now the Head Music Instructor for the New York area. He continues to work as an Assistant Engineer for Larry Dvoskin and is the Sound Technician for the band One Day More.
IAR has helped Shawn in his positions since graduating, “I’m always using what I learned at IAR, during sessions or at live events or even the theory of teaching effectively.” Shawn’s busy schedule and variety of experiences continue to support his rising career, and advice for current IAR students is to: “Listen to every single word your teachers say and write it down. You get out of it what you put into it. Stay in all your classes the whole time; you'd be surprised what you'll miss if you don’t. And don't be afraid to ask questions; I bet half the class wants to ask the same thing. Finally, make friends and connections.”
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Mike Parrilli Engineer
 Mike Parrilli graduated from IAR in June 2007 and shortly thereafter started an internship at Headgear Studios in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He has assisted the engineers and owners during recording sessions, learning techniques and tricks from them. He was lucky to be a part of many great sessions including Lee Perry with Andrew WK, the Soundscapes, Pela, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. In August, Mike also started at Professional Sound Services, which provides audio equipment sales, service, and rental for film and video productions in New York. While in the sales and service departments, he learned about different manufacturers’ equipment and how to build any type of custom cable. It was a unique experience that helps in other musical facets of his life, including writing and recording his own music, experimenting with live instruments such as cello, guitar, and mandolin with synthesizers, using samplings, and running Propellerhead's Reason program. Just recently, Mike engineered his first band at Hypersnake Studios in New Jersey. When reflecting back on his education at IAR he states, "It solidified my foundation and helped me feel confident in my ability to work with sound and set me in a direction which I desperately needed at the time." His advice to current students is: "Learn as much as you possibly can while attending. Really soak it all in. Take notes on everything including teachers' stories and experiences, which y | |
