Sennheiser Sound

Sennheiser UK has a huge amount of experience in the professional audio industry and its team is keen to pass on their knowledge to provide the future stars of the industry with a window onto the real life scenarios they might face.

The company’s education program is spearheaded by special project manager Phil Cummings, providing students nationwide with exposure to technical challenges and introducing them to successful band managers and sound engineers, who represent some of today's biggest artists.

Sennheiser UK also provides a scholarship programme in association with LIPA and NFTS. Students previously supported by the company include Duncan, Dario and Joe, featured below.

In addition, there is an ongoing programme that focuses on the development of customer training needs. The 2010 calendar of workshops is now available, which will be added to throughout the year.

  

Duncan Price - Sennheiser Scholar 2008-2009

I discovered my passion for film sound during a BA (Hons) in Animation at the Surrey Institute of Art and Design.  Through making my own animated short films I realised that creating the soundtrack was the most exciting process, where my films would finally come to life.  Wanting to pursue the part of filmmaking that had captured my imagination, I applied to the NFTS to study sound post production.

At the NFTS I have worked on a variety of different films which have challenged me technically and creatively, helping to broaden my understanding of film language.  I have focused on developing my editing and mixing techniques, helping me to better understand the soundtrack's power to manipulate the perception of an image. The NFTS is a great arena to meet and work with other filmmakers and it has given me the skills and confidence I need to enter the Industry and continue my development as a sound editor.

Films at the NFTS include

Solstice
The Henhouse
No Easy Time
Beachbums
Mary and John (Soho Rushes Film Festival)
Northern Cross (British Council Film Festival Moscow. VGIK International Student Film Festival, Moscow)
Distance
The World’s a Stage

Dario Swade - Sennheiser Scholar 2008-2009

My interest in sound started with a love of music and music production, which was my passion for many years. Then I went to university and studied Social Anthropology... Fortunately, there were no anthropology jobs available and when I finished my degree my friend was directing a feature film back in London and needed someone to record the sound. I happily obliged and haven’t looked back!

After working freelance as a sound recordist for a year, I became interested in sound design as a way to marry music production skills with my new interest in film sound and storytelling. Applying to the NFTS seemed like the sensible thing to do and at the end of two busy years at the School I can happily say I was right.
 
Films at the NFTS include

Stanley Pickle
Until the River Runs Red
A Miracle in West Brom
All there is
Neil’s Mate

Dario Swade was supported by a Skillset maintenance bursary
 
 

Joseph Wills - Sennheiser Scholar 2008-2011

Music and sound have always been my passions since I was a child playing about with a guitar and my parent’s cassette recorder back in the countryside where we used to live. Through school and college I went on to front various rock bands and began to record and produce my own songs. It was during my time at the BBC on work placement that I realised sound engineering and recording was the career for me.

After getting onto the Sound Technology degree at LIPA and being awarded the Sennheiser Scholarship I’ve been very active in pursuing my love for both sound and performance. I’m currently in two bands, which are both doing very well. Recording our EPs has allowed me to experiment with production techniques and finding ways of creating our own sound. Being in these bands has also taught me a lot about the ins and outs of organising gigs and making contacts in the music industry.

Another area that I’m very keen to explore is sound for Theatre and Film. I’ve been involved in numerous sound designs for plays at LIPA, one of which was recently taken to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and given fantastic reviews. 
LIPA is proving to be a fantastic place to learn my trade as a sound engineer. It provides valuable opportunities to work with the students on other courses while developing communicational skills, which will hopefully translate well into future employment within the entertainment industry, where collaboration is essential.

Having spent a month last summer working in the marketing and artist relations department of Sennheiser’s UK office, I was able to gain a real insight into how the company is run. Everyone there went out of their way to give me a thoroughly enjoyable experience and I was left feeling part of the family.

The Sennheiser scholarship award has enabled me to pursue my studies by supporting living expenses and course fees while also allowing me to purchase books, equipment and any software necessary to further my skills and better myself as a sound engineer and producer. I can’t tell you how grateful my family and I are to Sennheiser for their support.