Music Alumni Spotlight

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Nick Conroy '17, Bachelor of Arts in Music, Classical Guitar

WKU Ensembles: Guitar Ensemble, Choral Society, Men’s Chorus, Chorale, Performer of the Semester in May 2017 (Classical Guitarist).

I realized after I graduated that I needed to find a way to pursue my passion for music. Although I have nothing but the utmost respect for those who pursue teaching music for a living, I did not think that was the path for me. I have always loved being involved in the production of music, but I was never familiar with the engineering aspect of it. I began researching audio schools around the country and The Blackbird Academy in Nashville Tennessee seemed like the best option for me. I spent the remaining 7 months of 2017 saving up money so that I could eventually attend the academy from January 2018 - June 2018.

Skills Acquired from The Blackbird Academy

• Trained in the proper fundamentals of acoustics, music business, and audio
• Acquired engineering experience by tracking bands and learned how to operate studio consoles (API, Neve, SSL), patchbays, outboard equalizers, and compressors (Universal Audio 1176, Teletronix LA-2A, API 550A, Neve 1073, ), and multiple Avid plugins on Pro Tools under the mentorship of Kevin Becka and Jeremy Cottrell.
• Completed 40-hour recording project: tracking, overdubbing, and mixing three songs for an artist at famed Blackbird

 Currently interning at Starstruck Entertainment in Nashville Tennessee in hopes of becoming a full time Recording Engineer.

"Truly a life changing experience. WKU’s music department awoke a true love for music I never knew I possessed. This love inspired me to embrace life head on and pave my own path to success using the skills I acquired throughout the journey." -Nick