Laura Sisk received the first Exceptional Ears Award from award-winning producer, Jack Antonoff.
(Indiana University)
From audio engineers to orchestras, a number of Hoosiers walked away with a golden phonograph at this year's 66th annual Grammy Awards ceremony.
IU Jacobs School alumni made significant contributions, with seven individual and one orchestra award.
“(The Jacob School of Music) is a very special place that attracts very special people,” said jazz department chair, Thomas Walsh. “When you bring together a mass of talented people, then you set the stage for great things to happen.”
Laura Sisk, a 2010 audio engineering graduate, won for her work on Taylor Swift’s album "Midnights.”
Sisk has collaborated closely with Swift as her audio engineer since her previous Album of the Year-winning albums, "folklore" and "1989." Additionally, she has worked with other top-selling artists such as Shakira, Eminem and P!nk.
Sisk returns to IU regularly, whether it's doing Q&A sessions orteaching master classes. She also meets with students from the Audio Engineering Society, often in New York City, said IU junior Sarah Resch.
“She is very supportive of the audio program and the audio students,” said Resch. “Laura’s accomplishments are huge for the industry and for women in general. Usually any audio engineer in the industry will get put into a niche. But Laura, she produces and records the vocals for Taylor, but she's mixing full songs as well, which really, on the level that she's working, is unheard of.”
Only around seven percent of audio engineers are women. Resch attributes her success to IU's audio program. Her experience includes internships at the Chicago Recording Company and contributions to IU's Big Ten Plus and ESPN+ programs.
“When I've met other students from other programs, they're still a little nervous in the studio," Resch said. "The only studio time they get experience from is in their senior year, but we get studio time all four years. And we get to work with the amazing musicians at Jacobs. So you're working with amazing musicians and you're getting a ton of experience.”
Sisk was also awarded the first ever Exceptional Ears Award, presented to her by award-winning producer Jack Antonoff.
Bassist and Class of 1984 alum Edgar Meyer won best contemporary instrumental album and best global music performance for his album “As We Speak."
Meyer's mastery of the bass has earned him seven Grammys and ten nominations. He has collaborated with a diverse array of artists, including Chris Thile, Bela Fleck, and Yo-Yo Ma. He's received awards beyond the Grammys, including the Avery Fisher Prize, and a MacArthur Award.
Meyer came back to Bloomington, most recently in 2021, to play at the Jacobs School.
Other Jacobs School graduates were awarded as well. The long list includes:
Josh Johnson, Producer, "The Omnichord Real Book", Meshell Ndegeocello - Best Alternative Jazz Album
Kristy Norter, Instrumentalist, "Some Like It Hot" - Best Musical Theater Album
Denson Paul Pollard, Trombonist with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, "Blanchard: Champion" - Best Opera Recording
Claudia Chopek, Violinist, “Some Like It Hot” - Best Musical Theater Album
Members of the Louisville Orchestra, “The American Project” - Best Instrumental Solo: Jack Griffin (Viola), Evan Vicic (Viola), J. Bryan Helath (Brass Tombone), Mrilyn Nije (Clarinet), Kindsay Tsai (Cello), Kimberly Tichenor (Second Violin), Karl Olsen (Bassist), Mike Chmilewksi (Bassist)
Matt Ridge, Arranger, “Helena’s Theme” - Best Instrumental Composition
