SPARS recent AES Activities include SRO reception and APRS Sound Fellowship Award for Rupert Neve…

Part of the sold out crowd at Avatar studios. SPARS President Leslie Ann Jones addresses the crowd. APRS President Malcolm Atkin presents Rupert Neve the Sound Fellowship Award. Rupert Neve thanks those in attendance and shares some stories. (L-R) Leslie Ann Jones, Kirk Imamura, Malcolm Atkin, Neve, Maureen Droney, Peter Filleul and Don Griffin. (L-R) SPARS Board Members Sherri Tantleff and Tony van Veen along with incoming President, Eric Johnson. (L-R) APRS ED Peter Filleul, Rupert Neve and SPARS ED, Paul Christensen.

The recent 127th AES Convention in New York produced several exciting events for SPARS members. Among these was an affair that is fast becoming one of the premier happenings of the convention – the annual SPARS, P&E Wing and APRS reception, In the Mix @ AES.

SPARS member, Avatar Studios, hosted this year's event, which was sponsored by West LA Music. Over 400 enthusiastic attendees crowded into Avatar's Studio A to network, fellowship with friends and witness design pioneer Rupert Neve receive the coveted Sound Fellowship Award for outstanding achievement from SPARS' British counterpart, the Association of Professional Recording Services (APRS).

SPARS outgoing President, Leslie Ann Jones, Director of Music and Scoring at Skywalker Sound, welcomed the packed assembly and introduced incoming SPARS President, Eric Johnson, Executive Producer with Blazing Music + Sound, as well as newly elected SPARS Board members, Kirk Imamura, President of Avatar Studios and Tony van Veen, President of Disc Makers and CD Baby. Ms. Jones also recognized newly elected SPARS officers, Sherri Tantleff, Industry Outreach Manager for Full Sail University as Secretary and Kevin Becka, Director of Education for the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences and technical writer for Mix as Treasurer.

Ms. Jones then introduced Maureen Droney, Executive Director of The Recording Academy's P & E Wing, who recognized several key P & E Wing  members as well as visitors. Ms. Droney also thanked everyone for attending and making the reception a success.

APRS Executive Director Peter Filleul then took the floor, recognizing industry icon Rupert Neve and introducing APRS President Malcolm Atkin, who presented the APRS Sound Fellowship Award to Mr. Neve. The formal festivities concluded with comments from Mr. Neve thanking everyone for their support over the years as well as sharing several interesting stories.

Attendees were treated to gift bags as they left, containing various items from West LA Music, SPARS, P & E Wing and the APRS, including T shirts, hard drive discounts, pens and other novelties.

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