EDGAR STANTON AUDIO RECORDING INSTITUTE

Half Session II (7/26-8/22)

Jack Renner, Artist-Faculty
Juergen Wahl, Artist-Faculty

The Edgar Stanton Audio Recording Institute (ESARI) provides an intensive four-week, full-time program of wide-ranging audio recording experiences, mainly of classical music. This program is designed for students preparing themselves for careers as recording engineers and sound designers. Most academic institutions allow credit for this program.

The curriculum consists of classroom lectures as well as hands-on recording sessions in which participants assist in the recording of a wide variety of performing arts including symphonic orchestras, chamber ensembles, solo performers, operas, and choral groups. The Aspen Music Festival and School venues include a large concert stage, a modern concert hall, an intimate opera house, churches, and other settings. The regular engineering staff, typically ten members, ranges from the production manager (chief engineer) to additional engineers with various levels of professional expertise.

The summer session is divided into four one-week categories. Most lectures and demonstrations have the character of workshops—faculty and prominent guest lecturers from the professional audio industry work with the students on various recording projects.

Lecture topics include: fundamentals of acoustics, psycho-acoustics, sound, and listening skills; microphone design and application; stereo microphone techniques and perspectives; and classical recording techniques in stereo and surround sound, including film sound.

Students will assist the regular staff engineers and work with all components of a complex recording chain such as microphones, mixing-consoles, signal processing equipment, loudspeakers, amplifiers, automation, and recording work stations, in both the analog and digital domains. All AMFS performances are recorded and made available to the musicians as a finished CD.

Participants will receive a syllabus and bibliography of available literature. Several standard texts will be recommended for purchase. Enrollment is limited to guarantee a small student- to-faculty ratio. State-of-the-art equipment is made possible by sponsorships from leading companies: AKG Acoustics, Aphex Audio, DTS, Inc., Genelec Inc., Grace Design, JBL Pro Audio, Neumann USA, Sennheiser Electronic Corp., Pappas Consulting, and others.

Courses

All students are encouraged to participate in the music-related courses offered by the AMFS artist-faculty and staff. In addition, AMFS offers courses in body awareness, including Alexander Technique. College credit is available for some courses. Or a full list of course offerings, please click here.

How to Apply to the Edgar Stanton Audio Recording Institute:

All items to be submitted together. All materials, including recordings, will not be returned.

• Due date: January 4, 2010 (Apply early for discounted application fee.)
  
• All items to be submitted together:
  • Completed application and financial assistance application
    
  • Application fee
  • Cover letter, describing your interest in the program
  • Current résumé
    
• Be sure all items on the Application Checklist have been completed.

In addition to the above requirements, students are strongly encouraged but not required to send two letters of recommendation, which may be used in the scholarship process.

Note: The institute does not require any specific prerequisite courses or training; however, preference will be given to applicants with musical and/or technical background.