AES's First Conference Focusing on Audio Education Draws Attendees from All Over the Globe
For Release: August 3, 2013
— The Audio Engineering Society’s first conference dedicated specifically to audio education focused on teaching methods, instructional resources, learning outcomes, technical operations, industry relations, and related topics impacting all aspects of professional audio education —
— Event was held July 25-27, 2013, at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee —
New York, NY, August 1, 2013 — The Audio Engineering Society (AES) recently wrapped its 50th International Conference, its first dedicated specifically to audio education. The conference took place July 25-27, 2013, at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where more than 140 educators and industry representatives met to exchange ideas and experiences. Attendance far surpassed the organizers’ initial expectations, with attendees traveling to Murfreesboro from twenty-five U.S. states and twelve countries, including Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The event also for the first time included a significant focus on live sound as a component of a pro audio education curriculum, a fact underscored by the event’s keynote address delivered by Bob McCarthy, Senior Education Consultant at Meyer Sound, who gave an informative and entertaining presentation on the history of the live sound industry.
The three-day conference focused on teaching methods, instructional resources, learning outcomes, technical operations, industry relations and related topics that impact the theoretical and practical aspects of professional audio education. Conference co-chairs Michael Fleming and Bill Crabtree organized a number of after-hours events in Murfreesboro and nearby Nashville, including an opening-day banquet dinner, a studio crawl with behind-the-scenes tours at Ocean Way Studios and historic RCA Studio B, a reception at the former RCA Studio A (now operating as Ben’s Studio, owned by Ben Folds) and a Lower Broadway honky-tonk outing.
Michael Fleming stated, “Our goals with this conference were to stimulate dialogue among members of the audio teaching community and between the pro-audio industry and academia, so that there might be a greater sense of understanding and confidence in our respective missions. In many ways, the profession of teaching professional audio from an academic and practical point of view is very young, and we think this conference was a giant step toward helping establishing a sense of community, as well as shared standards and awareness of the different directions and emphases these programs can have. Clearly there are three sets of beneficiaries from this work: audio students, audio faculty and our peers in industry."
The conference’s experts addressed attendees through paper presentations, workshops and discussions. The published conference proceedings contain over 30 peer-reviewed papers, including historical perspectives, survey instruments, case-studies and recommendations for educational resource management and development. In addition, eight workshops and tutorials touched on topics including pedagogy; instructional resources; internships; critical-listening and ear-training; partnerships with industry and professional organizations; learning outcomes and academic standards, accreditation and program administration.
Photo File 1: AES_50thConf_Crabtree_Fleming.JPG
Photo Caption 1: Shown L-R: AES 50th International Conference co-chairs Bill Crabtree and Michael Fleming. Photo by Kelly Ford.
Photo File 2: AES_50thConf_McCarthy.JPG
Photo Caption 2: Bob McCarthy, Senior Education Consultant, Meyer Sound, gives his keynote address at the AES 50th International Conference. Photo by Kelly Ford.
Photo File 3: AES_50thConf_PearlCohn.JPG
Photo Caption 3: Leading members of The Recording Academy® hold a panel entitled, “Pearl-Cohn High School: A Case Study of Collaboration Between Industry and Education.” Shown L-R: Susan Stewart (The Recording Academy), Jeff Balding (The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing), Sam Lorber (Pearl-Cohn High School), Laurie T. Schell (Music Makes Us, Metro Nashville Public Schools), Julian King (P&E Wing) and Maureen Droney (Senior Executive Director, P&E Wing). Photo by Robert Clyne, Clyne Media Inc.
About the Audio Engineering Society
The Audio Engineering Society was formed in 1948 and now counts over 14,000 members throughout the U.S., Latin America, Europe, Japan and the Far East. The organization serves as the pivotal force in the exchange and dissemination of technical information for the industry. Currently, its members are affiliated with more than 75 AES professional sections and more than 95 AES student sections around the world. Section activities may include guest speakers, technical tours, demonstrations and social functions. Through local AES section events, members experience valuable opportunities for professional networking and personal growth. For additional information visit http://www.aes.org.
