Back row (l-r): Convention chair Klaus Blasquiz, workshop co-chair Claire Mérienne, tutorials chair Francis Rumsey, AES executive director Roger Furness, program coordinator Han Tendeloo and technical tours chair John Rutledge. Front row (l-r): Workshop co-chair Philippe Herzog and application seminars organizer Gisele Clark.
With only days remaining before the opening of the 120th AES Pro Audio Expo & Convention in Paris (May 20 to 23, 2006 at the Paris Expo), members of the Convention Committee have provided some insights into the program.
“I’m proud to say that we created the most comprehensive program ever seen at a European AES Convention,” states convention chairman Klaus Blasquiz. “I’m confident that every visitor will find something of value, both in terms of industry news and in specific information. My particular favorite is the growing trend towards HD in all fields of audio. I see HD as a very positive development in our industry, as it puts the focus back on high quality audio.”
The Paper and Poster sessions will cover a broad range of topics. “We have designed a very compact and multifaceted paper program, which together with the parallel poster sessions, will provide visitors with an intimate and informative atmosphere,” says Papers co-chair Mike Williams.
Workshop co-chair Claire Mérienne points to the integration of different areas of broadcasting as the strong ingredient of the workshops: “We have designed a total of 16 different topics, and made sure to integrate the most timely issues. Two of my favorite workshops are ‘5.1 in Broadcast [W15]’ and ‘Audio Quality Measurement in New Media [W13].’” Workshop co-chair Phillippe Herzog adds, “I am certain that the topic of networking will also become a highlight. ‘The Audio via IP [W4]’ workshop is sure to generate a great deal of interest.”
The AES Convention is also designed to provide visitors with a strong focus on the fundamentals. “The tutorials at the 120th convention will give attendees a wonderful opportunity to learn about basic issues in digital audio, such as filters and low bit-rate coding, or practical matters such as choosing a live sound system for a venue,” says Francis Rumsey, chair of the tutorial program. “Jeff Levison will lead a tutorial on mastering for multichannel audio, and there will be a critically important session on the causes and prevention of hearing loss—a must for all sound engineers.”
“We have coordinated a number of unique technical tours,” reports chair John Rutledge. “For me, the most intriguing is our visit to the Radio France music channel for rehearsals of a 5.1 mix of Emilie Simon’s live concert. The tour includes tickets to the performance that evening. This exceptional opportunity is further enhanced by the fact that Emilie Simon is one of the keynote speakers at our opening ceremony!”
Visitors can pre-register for the 120th AES Pro Audio Expo & Convention at www.aes.org.
