From 3 -7 August, two intensive courses of Electro-Voice seminars were held. Seminar leader Anthony Sawyer, technical support manager in the EVI Audio team, schooled young technicians from SARA and students at the SAE Institute in fundamental aspects of audio technology. In each case, the content of the seminars was tailored to the knowledge level of the participants.
The first seminars, comprising a live sound workshop, were held at the South African Roadie Association (SARA) in Johannesburg. Since 1992, this well-known institute has been offering young South African technicians a well-rounded curriculum with excellent job prospects for all who complete the course. During the two-day workshop, 15 students from SARA were able to acquire practical rudiments of audio technology, such as the balancing of level chains and the correct programming of limiters. Another main theme was the assembly of systems tailored to particular events and production requirements.
The second workshop was held on the Cape Town campus of the SAE Institute (formerly the School of Audio Engineering). Around 30 students - joined by employees of local rental companies later on - took part in the seminars. "The SAE in Dubai and Anthony Sawyer have collaborated for years and they hold him in the highest esteem," says Oliver Sahm. "As 'our man in Dubai', he has already taken several years of SAE students successfully through a variety of workshops series devoted to live sound. The feedback from the Dubai campus was so positive that the SAE in South Africa asked him to conduct some seminars for them this year as well."
(Jim Evans)
