Mills College is known for its collaborative and experimental approach to music education—and now API will be part of that unique legacy.
Professor Les Stuck oversaw the installation of the school’s new 1608 console just in time for the fall semester to begin.
Professor Stuck, technical director at the school’s CCM (Center for Contemporary Music), discusses the addition of the API 1608.
“The 1608 purchase was a no-brainer, and the best possible option,” Stuck reports.
“In choosing an analog mixer today, there aren’t many choices if you want something really good. The 1608 sounds great and has a good reputation; it’s a solid, professional console.”
Jeff Briss, of API dealer Cutting Edge Audio in San Francisco, helped Stuck make the choice for Mills’ music department.
Stuck describes the CCM as “small with a large diversity of musicians”, explaining that some students are strictly performers while others have more experience in production and engineering. Supporting the various educational directions of the students is important to Stuck, who confirmed that having a high-quality analog console is essential to Mills’ singular teaching style.
“A big deal about analog is the sound quality. I think that’s not a simple issue to talk about, so it takes hands-on and listening experiences to learn the difference between formats, techniques and gear.”
The addition of the 1608 console provides another benefit: students at Mills now qualify to apply for the API Visionary Scholarship. API will begin accepting submissions for the 9th annual scholarship in early January, 2016.
