Recording and Production in the News

LIPA Graduate Philip Cook Wins The MPG Prize For 2011

Budding sound engineer/producer Philip Cook has become the second recipient of the Music Producers Guild Prize, which was launched last year to reward the most promising student to graduate from the LIPA (Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts) Sound Technology degree course.

The prize, which is supported by a bursary for expenses from Prism Sound, was presented by MPG Chairman Steve Levine and MPG Director Tony Platt during LIPA's annual graduation ceremony. Also present was LIPA lead patron Sir Paul McCartney.

The aim of the Music Producers Guild Prize is to recognise the student who, in the opinion of his or her tutors, has shown the most exceptional talent, initiative, commitment and consideration to the art of music recording and production.

Jon Thornton, who heads LIPA's three year BA (Hons) Sound Technology course, says: "We chose Philip because he has shown enormous dedication, particularly during the last year of his degree. He was very willing to engage with external projects and gained practical experience by working alongside other engineers, as well as tackling his own recording projects. Philip truly understands what it takes to be a producer in today's world, where those who wish to pursue this career path have to find their own opportunities as well as delivering great results."

Since moving to Liverpool to study for his degree Philip Cook (www.phil-c.co.uk) has completed work experience assignments in a number of recording facilities including Gigant Studio in Norway. He has also worked with many new and upcoming artists including Untouched, Lyra Jay, Katrina Heenan, Ben Noke and Mari Jørgensen.

"Music has always played such an important part of my life, and I feel honoured to have received such a fantastic award," he says.

Commenting on the Prize, Tony Platt says: "Winning the MPG Prize will give Philip a range of opportunities that will help him develop and explore the recording techniques he has learned at LIPA and allow him to make valuable contacts within the professional sound industry. The Music Producers Guild is very keen to find meaningful ways to encourage the next generation of engineers and producers and by collaborating with LIPA we can offer our support to someone who has already shown exceptional promise."

The MPG Prize gives Philip the opportunity of shadowing producer Markus Dravs, MPG Producer of the Year 2011 and winner of the BRIT Best Producer 2011 Award. He will also shadow James Rutledge, MPG Remixer of the Year 2011, and attend an orchestral recording session with Award-winning engineer Haydn Bendall. Studio experience will be provided by AIR Studios, which has offered him a short internship during which he will attend a mastering session with Ray Staff at Air Mastering. His technical expertise will also be enhanced by a day at Avid's UK headquarters where he will receive in-depth tuition on Avid's flagship D-Control console and the System 5MC.

Prism Sound/SADiE is contributing towards the cost of Cook's travel and accommodation expenses while he is taking up these opportunities, and throughout the year he will be mentored by various MPG members including Steve Levine, Tony Platt and Mick Glossop.

Winning the MPG prize has already proved useful for last year's inaugural recipient Henrik Barman Michelsen, who is currently negotiating a publishing contract with help from the MPG's legal representative, Penny Ganz.

"Being the recipient of the MPG Prize has been incredibly valuable," Michelsen says. "I have been in the studio several times with Paul Epworth and Mark Rankin, both of whom have been very helpful and supportive. I also had a great time at AIR with Haydn Bendall and Ray Staff and I really enjoyed the time I spent there. By coincidence, Ray Staff was mastering a Norwegian band that I've followed for years, which was cool. This prize has given me every opportunity I could want to build contacts and see all sides of the recording business. Thanks to an introduction by Steve Levine I was even lucky enough to work on an Unplugged session at Metropolis Studios, standing in for an engineer who was sick. That certainly took me out of my comfort zone but was a great experience to have."