Official Website
Brenden is first a best buddy, and second an exceptional tenor, a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and now a member of the Netherlands Opera Studio. Back in the day, when he needed high-quality screening discs for college and auditions I began to record.
The first recordings were done using Audio Technica condensers, then included a Shure Beta 87. His entire portfolio for screening discs were made with 2 AT3xx condensers and a Beta 87 with some reverberation from Sound Forge live to 2-track.
Two years into college (2004), I was able to use a Shure KSM32 and an AKG C414 in addition to two borrowed B&K 4006's. We recorded "for fun" a marathon of 8 pieces with pianist Georgia Fragale.
Later that year Brenden treated his hometown to a private concert which I was asked to record audio at the Riverwalk Theater in downtown Lansing, Michigan. Brenden dazzled his friends and family with an exquisite concert which was later cherished on DVD with 24-bit 96khz master stereo and high quality all digital video. Randy Frey provided video support through DVD authoring while I provided images and all menu designs. The video was recorded live-to-DVD on a... not so great.. consumer camera, but regardless this was my first experience combining audio and video.
The funny story behind this concert was during the setup of the 414 M/S, one of the 414's fell onto the concrete breaking the grill off. This mic was on loan from MSU before I had a strong relationship with my current boss. Needless to say, things were rocky with her and me until a student teacher, Jim Miller, had us sit down for lunch and I was hired in the summer of 2004.
Over Christmas break of 2005, Brenden performed at the M.S.U. music auditorium for a recording session. Voice faculty, Melanie Helton was on the scene to provide tips, tricks, and lovely criticism and thus giving me a chance to focus more on the recording than completely on Brenden.
I still provide support for him when recording or editing is needed. With his traveling between Philadelphia with his wife and son and Amsterdam to perform we have had to be creative in our communication and digital music making. I also built and host his website, adding another dimension to our "collaboration."
