You’ve always had an ear for good music, and you know that the proper score or soundscape can become a character of its own. You recognize that sound creates the environment, and the perfect song or sound effect can change the mood of a scene in an instant. Are you ready to set the tone for your future? In just 18 months, as a graduate of the audio engineering & production program, you could be at the helm of the soundboard for a worldwide concert tour, or recording sound effects for the next big video game.
Some of the careers held by our graduates include:
Graduates of this program make significant waves in the audio and music industry, from producing radio commercials, to mixing the scores for blockbuster movies. We pride ourselves on hiring the best instructors in the business—people who have spent years developing their skills and working with top talent. These audio experts will pass on their practical knowledge to give you a head start over the competition. Not only do we hire the best, but we also make sure you learn using only the very latest software and equipment.
At the Centre for Arts and Technology, you’ll tackle real-world audio engineering projects in our custom-built recording studios. This is an intensive program teaching foundational skills that will set you up for success in any audio and sound environments.
You’ll learn: Music Theory • Music Composition • Scoring for Film Soundtracks • Pro Tools HD • Studio Operations • Recording and Mixing in Stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound • Music Production • Editing and Sound Design • Film Set Location Recording • Recording and Mixing ADR, SFX for TV and Film.
Chris Holmes started his career working alongside The Matrix, a production and songwriting team based in Los Angeles. Over the course of 4+ years, he sharpened his engineering and production skills while working on numerous A-List artists, including Katy Perry, Ricky Martin, Korn, Vanessa Carlton, Mandy Moore, Ashley Tisdale and many more. After relocating to Vancouver, Chris took over the position of Chief Engineer at Greenhouse Studios, where he worked with dozens of independent and major label artists. With over 15+ years’ experience, Chris is now an independent engineer and producer, dividing his time between Vancouver and Kelowna. Chris is excited to bring his knowledge and experience to the audio students at the Centre for Arts and Technology.
To learn more about the Audio Engineering Industry, you can listen to our PODCAST with Chris on our Soundcloud Stream.
Taylin Simmonds became interested in the art of Electronic Music Production from a young age. This passion led him to take online music workshops while still in high school and eventually become a graduate of the Electronic Music Production Program here at CAT. Upon graduation Taylin signed his first record deal with independent record label Blue Label Records. While at Blue Labe Records, Taylin released multiple tracks that charted in the I-Tunes top 100 Dance Charts, co-produced/ co-wrote songs for independent artists and assisted artists in preparing DJ performances for headlining festival slots. After working with Blue Label Records and major PR Agencies such as Music Promo Today and Dotted Music, Taylin decided to take his career in to his own hands by becoming an independent artist. Taylin is now the instructor for the Electronic Music Production Program and is excited to bring his expertise and industry insights to the Centre for Arts and Technology team.
Tony started his career in audio post-production in Vancouver, where he continues to work as an award-winning senior sound supervisor, sound designer and re-recording mixer. Tony’s award-winning feature credits include Nightwatching, a British-Dutch-Canada co-production for the renowned filmmaker, Peter Greenaway (The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover; The Pillow Book); Its All Gone Pete Tong, a British-Canada co-production for Canadian director, Michael Dowse (FUBAR); and Partition, an India-Canada co-production for Canadian director, Vic Sarin (Love On The Side, A Shine of Rainbows). Among his home entertainment and television, credits are sequels 3, 4 and 5 in the Dr. Dolittle series for Fox Home Entertainment and the first two seasons of The L Word for Showtime Television. He is currently finishing the TV movie adaptations of Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place.
A classically trained performer, Lora is embedded in the local music scene. Lora started her formal education with a diploma in Music Performance and another in Music Composition from Selkirk College. Her additional accreditation includes being a licensed Kindermusik instructor, a certificate in Advanced Theory RCM, and a Licentiate in Music Education. LRSL from Rockschool. In addition to being a freelance pianist and solo performing artist, Lora has been a private music instructor at the Wentworth Music Education Center for the last nineteen years. Lora brings a wealth of knowledge to the Centre and a passion for music to match.
As a graduate of the Centre in Audio Engineering and Production, Mike brings over 10 years of experience in a variety of audio industry jobs. Upon graduation, Mike went to work with Idevcore Media Inc., creating sound effects and composing scores for video games. He also spent time tracking, editing and mixing commercials for Media Button. Other work includes environment Canada and developing university labs protocols for bioacoustic monitoring leading to co-authored publications in scientific journals for his contributions. Beyond those roles, Mike’s true passion has been in live sound, as he worked in live sound for various event companies and working for bands like Godsmack, Rod Stewart, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Bob Dylan, Offspring, Judas Priest, Steve Miller, Our Lady Peace, Brian Adams, Dirks Bentley and multiple productions of Cirque du Soliel to name a few. Mike also spent seven years as the Head Sound Engineer for the Sky High Blues Festival and has produced and engineered albums for numerous artists.
Adam Wittke has been active in the music industry for as long as he can remember. He is an engineer/producer and studio owner with a diverse career that has spanned over 13 years. A graduate of “The Center for Arts and Technology Recording Arts Masters Program”, he has refined his skills and knowledge of the craft. Working at ZMS Music Inc. alongside producer Danny McBride, he gained valuable experience and skill.
Adam now owns and operates Arc House Studios, a commercial recording studio in the heart of Kelowna. Arch House has attracted many influential names in the music industry and has been featured in Global News, CBC radio and other media.
“My time at Centre for Arts and Technology was not only an extensive source of information giving me an excellent head start in production but also an excellent tool, teaching me how to teach myself more advanced and complicated concepts and techniques.”
– Aaron Zuber, Audio Engineering & Production Alumni
“Centre for Arts and Technology was a great hub for me to hone my audio skills, as well as realize what I wanted to do for my career. Since graduation, I have done work for FM Radio as a commercial producer, cut dialogue for major video game companies in Vancouver, released my own music and records on 14 different labels, and toured the world as a DJ / Producer.
You get out of the program what you put in; students that work the hardest and really dedicate themselves to their projects and school assignments will go the furthest. That is the kind of work ethic you need to really be successful in this field, or any field really.”
– Tyler Martens, Audio Engineering & Production Alumni
“Centre for Arts and Technology has not only given me the skills and knowledge I need, but also shown me how to take what I’ve learned and produce a career in the Audio Industry. They also provided me with the time and facilities I needed to test my new abilities and gain the experience that is so crucial in this industry. During my time at CATO I worked for a local production company, worked on audio for local films, became the front of house tech for a local cafe, and had one of my compositions internationally recognized for a Lenovo product release. Centre for Arts and Technology showed me the door and how to turn the handle, but then it was up to me to open the door and run through it. I’m currently still quite busy with the jobs that I acquired while in school, and have plans to move to Vancouver to further pursue audio production for film, TV, and my own music.”
– Brandon Dorsey, Audio Engineering & Production Alumni
“I really liked the diversity of places and teachers. We were in big studios, small studios, analogue, digital, etc. Now that I am graduated, I work as an audio director and as a freelance audio engineer in live and studio environments. I really like the flexibility that the industry offers. There are tons of different things you can do, and the hours are quite flexible.”
– Kyle Andrus, Audio Engineering & Production
“I was always fascinated at how sound and music can heighten your perceptual experience. The Audio Engineering & Production instructors did an excellent job of preparing me for my career. I now live in Vancouver and record location dialogue for film and television productions.”
– Corey Sewell, Audio Engineering & Production Alumni
