PRESS RELEASES
105TH AES CONVENTION CUES UP THE NEXT 50 YEARS
NEW YORK: 105th AES Convention co-chairs David Robinson and Valerie Tyler report strong early response to the San Francisco gathering, scheduled for the Moscone Convention Center, September 26-29.
With the highly successful 104th Convention held this spring in Amsterdam providing strong indications of the health of the industry, Robinson and Tyler envision new records for participation this fall. "The Amsterdam convention drew 8,600 people," they point out. "There was a strong Technical program, with over 120 papers and 14 workshops. And, the exhibition represented the largest display of pro-audio equipment held in Europe to date."
"Attendance for last year's 103rd Convention in NYC was a record 20,312 visitors," adds AES executive director Roger Furness. "Indications are that San Francisco will also set new records. Over 325 exhibitors have committed to the 105th convention in SF three months prior to the event. This already exceeds the amount of space taken by exhibitors for the 103rd at NYC's Jacob Javits Center." Furness and deputy director convention management Chris Plunkett attribute this surge to the continued robust health of the pro audio industry and of the national economy as well.
With a focus on emerging technologies expected to help shape the next 50 years in audio, the opening ceremonies will feature a keynote speech by recording artist,
producer, engineer, and record executive Alan Parsons. The engineering mastermind behind Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon," Parsons has ten Grammy nominations for engineering and production to his credit. His Alan Parsons Project recordings produced a series of award-winning albums, including "Tales of Mystery and Imagination" and "Eye In The Sky."
Special 105th Convention events will include the popular 10th Annual NARAS Grammy Recording Forum, and an afternoon with the legendary audio innovator Sidney Harman. The 14 Workshops will be highlighted by "Aesthetics of mixing Music 5.1, 7.1 -- Quad for the '90's or will it fly?" chaired by Will Harvey and Rodger Wiersema. Other important workshops include "Internet Audio Systems," "Internet Audio Production," "Audio on DVD," and "High Resolution Multichannel." Technical Papers will cover such subjects as "Psychoacoustics, Perception and Listening Tests," "Spatial Perception and Processing," and "Multichannel Sound." Home to many leading companies in the pro audio industry, Technical Tours in the Bay Area will offer rare entree to Skywalker Ranch, Sonic Solutions, and Dolby Laboratories. A well-represented Education Fair will complement the Student Program.
After-hours events will be punctuated by a party jointly hosted by the AES and the San Francisco Bay Area Audio Manufacturers (BAAM), to be held at SF's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on Saturday, September 26, 1998, from 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Admission to the event will be strictly limited to ticket holders. Tickets will be available from the AES at a cost of $30 per ticket for AES members (limit 2 per member); $40 per ticket for non-AES members (limit 4); and $40 per ticket for exhibitors (minimum 10). Attendance at two previous AES/BAAM events drew over 1500 each.
"The concept of a party for a large contingent of AES attendees rather than a banquet for a few has been very well received by AES members and show exhibitors," says Robinson. "And, having been involved with the planning of the party itself, I can say that this year's event promises to be bigger and better than the last." Local entertainment will be provided continuously throughout the evening in various locations of the Yerba Buena facility, including the outdoor East and sculpture gardens. Close to 2,000 people are expected to attend the 1998 party.
Advance registration and up-to-the-minute convention information is available on the AES website at www.aes.org. Admission to the exhibits is $30 in advance, $40 at the door. With an ongoing commitment towards developing a user-friendly event, the 105th Convention committee is focusing on ease of navigation through the ambitious schedule and the exhibition hall.
"San Francisco's Moscone Center promises to be a particularly accessible and attractive setting for our 105th AES Convention," Robinson and Tyler conclude.
