Three CRAS Graduates Headlined the Recent Event
Gilbert, Ariz., August 8, 2023 – The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS; www.cras.edu), a leading institution for audio engineering education, is proud to announce it recently hosted a new Grad Panel event at its Gilbert campus to inspire its current student body. The panel consisted of three CRAS graduates who shared their stories of success in the audio industry.
“It is always a great day at CRAS when our graduates return to campus to discuss their journeys from students to industry professionals,” said Kirt Hamm, CRAS administrator. “Learning the trade in our studios and classrooms are necessary to get the technical knowledge for their craft. Hearing stories of success from their peers is invaluable as it can help shape their transition from student to professional from those that have already done so.”
The Grad Panel included:
- Erika Koski – a 2019 CRAS graduate, she interned with Monkeyland Audio, and is now at Reel Foley Sound. Erika is credited as a foley artist, ADR engineer, and mixer on several titles, including Lone Echo II, Only Murders in the Building, and Horizon: Forbidden West.
- Chance Hubbard – a 2020 CRAS graduate who spent more than two years in New York City at Penthouse Recording Studio. Chance then took a gig in Los Angeles with Internet Money Records as a recording engineer and mixing engineer, as well as a freelance engineer for other major labels.
- Matt Trenhaile – a 2018 CRAS graduate, he completed his internship in Atlanta at Means Street Studios, and found his way into recording his first professional session with Lil Yatchy soon after. He had then worked his way around Atlanta until he landed his current gig with Quality Control Label and Studio, and works specifically for Lil Yatchy’s label Concrete. Other artists he has worked with or on their records include: Bankroll Fresh, Jhonni Blaze, Mase, and OMB Peezy.
“The biggest thing I took away from the grad panel, as with most, is the transparency and the rawness about what they’ve gone through,” said current CRAS student Charles Mintz. “Knowing there were struggles, and how they persisted and pushed through, makes me really appreciate it because it details the side most don’t see or discuss and helps to keep things in perspective.”
Added current CRAS student Noah Millhollin, “The honesty from the graduates about how things are in the real world was more insightful than just hearing about all the cool positive stories that you might get if you make it. With the three graduates on stage, seeing that they all made it through the toughest time for studios (COVID) gave me an appreciation for the opportunities that I will get, as well as giving me the confidence I need to make it happen.”
The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences is composed of two nearby campuses in Gilbert and Tempe, Ariz. A CRAS education includes Broadcast Audio, Live Sound, Audio Post for Film and TV, Music Production, Commercial Production and Video Game Audio, all taught by award-winning instructors who have excelled in their individual fields. CRAS’ structured programs, and highly qualified teaching staff, provide a professional and supportive atmosphere, which is complemented by its small class sizes allowing for individual instruction and assistance for students in engineering audio recordings. CRAS has been providing quality vocational training in Audio Recording for more than three decades. The curriculum and equipment are constantly being updated to keep pace with the rapid advancements in the music and sound recording industries. CRAS’ course offerings and subject matter have always centered around the skills and knowledge necessary for students’ success in the Audio Recording industries.
The 11-month program is designed to allow every student access to learn and train in all of the Conservatory’s studios which are comprised with state-of-the-art audio recording and mixing gear, the same equipment used in today’s finest studios and remote broadcast facilities, including Pro Tools 12, API Legacy consoles, SSL G+ and AWS consoles, Studer Vista consoles, and much more. All students must complete a 280-hour industry internship to graduate from the Master Recording Program II that may ultimately lead to industry employment.
For more information on CRAS, please visit www.cras.edu, contact Kirt Hamm, administrator, at 1-800-562-6383, or email to [email protected].
About The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences
Based in the heart of The Valley of the Sun with two campuses in Gilbert and Tempe, Ariz., The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS) is one of the country’s premier institutions for audio education. The Conservatory has developed a unique and highly effective way to help the future audio professional launch their careers in the recording industry and other related professional audio categories.