AES Student Blog

Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from and what do you study? 

I am a graduate student in my first year of study at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, where I am studying Sound Recording. Before this, I did two undergraduate degrees at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School in West Hartford, Connecticut, in the States, in music production and technology and piano performance. I studied for one summer term at the Banff Centre as an audio engineer work study, and have worked two summers at the Tanglewood Music Center as an assistant audio engineer.

What initiated your passion for audio? When did it start?

I came to audio as a performer who was used to listening critically, but only to my instrument or to musical aspects of a performance. Audio intrigued me because it encouraged more holistic listening in combination with a technical approach - almost like a conductor might listen, but with an ear to the science as well. That fusion of science and art led me to pursue my undergraduate degree in music production and technology beginning in 2012, where I became much more focused on recording acoustic music. Since then, I’ve also begun working more with electroacoustic sources, particularly in the new classical music area, and I also try to work on some jazz and rock so that I can maintain a balanced perspective.

Tell us about production of your submission? What is the story behind it? What inspired it? How long did you work on it? Was it your first entry?

This production was a concert recording done while I was working at Tanglewood this past summer. We each were responsible for one orchestra recording over the course of the summer, and mine was this concert. The orchestra performed this specific Wagner overture, Beethoven’s Eroica, and a Strauss horn concerto, so I needed a flexible setup that could accommodate such a wide range of classical music. Therefore I picked several general area spots to supplement the main orchestra sound, and then adjusted slightly over of the course of the week of rehearsals in the hall. I had three rehearsals before the concert to study the scores and fine tune the sound, and then during the concert, I did a live mix to two-track for archival, broadcast, and amplification purposes. I ended up using this mix as my submission, with some slight master bus equalization applied. I’ve entered the competition twice before this, and I was so excited and honored to be chosen as a finalist for this entry!

What/who made you join AES?

My professor at the Hartt School, Justin Kurtz, strongly encouraged me to join during my first year of study, and he also urged me to run for chapter office and attend conventions. I’ve been a student member ever since, and have had the privilege of serving as both Hartford and McGill chapter Vice-Chair. AES has become such an incredible resource for me to use through the online library and the conventions, as I can find answers to any audio questions that I might have. Especially as a graduate student, the research resources available online have made a huge difference in the quality of my studies!

Tell us about your favourite experiences at the 141st AES convention in LA!

It’s always great to see friends and mentors at the convention that I haven’t seen since the last convention. I also enjoyed the Raw Tracks session on Beck’s Morning Phase (which is one of my favorite records of all time), and the panel discussion about breaking the glass ceiling for women in the audio industry. I’m looking forward to the next convention in New York already! 

To hear Jennifer's project, click here