In Total, 34 Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences Graduates Worked on 36 GRAMMY-Nominated Albums & Songs Across 33 Categories
Gilbert, Ariz., Feb. 18, 2019 – The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS; www.cras.edu), the premier institution for audio engineering education, is proud to announce that 14 of its graduates worked on 15 2019 GRAMMY Award-winning nominations by numerous artists. In total, 34 CRAS graduates worked on 36 GRAMMY-nominated albums and songs across 33 categories.
CRAS graduate Darrell Thorp won twice for his work on Beck’s album Colors, brining his grand total to nine GRAMMY awards.
“Every year, it is always exciting to watch the GRAMMY Awards,” said Kirt Hamm, CRAS administrator. “But to know that your graduates, who have worked so hard, are being recognized for their achievements on the world stage is amazing. It also teaches our current students that dedication to their craft pays off, and that motivates them even more. We could not be more proud of all of our graduates.”
CRAS grads and the 2019 GRAMMY-winners they worked on include:
1 – Johnnie Burik, assistant engineer, worked on Lady Gaga’s – Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’), which won:
· Best Pop Solo Performance
2, 3, & 4 – Cory Bice and Jacob Dennis, assistant recording engineers, and Sam Holland, recording engineer, worked on Ariana Grande’s – Sweetener, which won:
· Best Pop Vocal Album
5 – Will Quinnell, assistant engineer, worked on Silk City & Dua Lipa Featuring Diplo & Mark Ronson’s – Electricity, which won:
· Best Dance Recording
6 – Will Quinnell, mastering engineer, worked on PJ Morton Featuring Yebba’s – How Deep is Your Love, which won:
· Best Traditional R&B Performance
7 – John Congleton, producer, worked on St. Vincent’s – MassEducation, which won:
· Best Rock Song
8 – John Congleton, producer, worked on Willo Perron, art director (St. Vincent)’s – MassEducation, which won:
· Best Recording Package
9 & 10 – Darrell Thorp, recording engineer/mix engineer, worked on Beck’s – Colors, which won:
· Best Alternative Music Album
· Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
11 – Joe Baldridge, recording engineer, worked on Dan + Shay’s – Tequila, which won:
· Best Country Group Duo/Performance
12 – Timothy Marchiafava, assistant engineer, worked on The Wayne Shorter Quartet’s – Emanon, which won:
· Best Jass Instrumental Album
13 – Greg Eliason, assistant engineer, worked on Luis Miguel’s – ¡MÉXICO POR SIEMPRE!, which won:
· Best Regional Mexican Music Album
14 – Eric Rennaker, assistant engineer (tracks Z5), worked on Meghan Foley, Annie Stoll & Al Yankovic, art directors (“Weird Al” Yankovic)’s – Squeeze Box: The Complete Works of “Weird Al” Yankovic, which won:
· Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
15 – Noah Killeen, assistant engineer, worked on Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet’s – Anderson, Laurie: Landfall, which won:
· Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
16 – Zeph Sowers, assistant engineer, worked on The Carters’ – Everything is Love, which won:
· Best Urban Contemporary Album
17 – Gordon Hammond, recording engineer, worked on Willie Nelson’s – My Way, which won:
· Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
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, film and TV audio, music, and video game audio, all taught by award-winning instructors who have all excelled in their individual fields, including sound reinforcement, audio recording and production, digital recording, troubleshooting/maintenance, and music business.
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 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.
