Audio Engineering Society's President Case Shares Event Vision into 70th Anniversary Year

	Alex Case, AES president

"As we approach our 70th anniversary year, the Audio Engineering Society is involved in more events, in more locations, than ever," says AES president Alex Case. "From our international conventions in the USA and Europe, our international conference series, regional events in a number of countries through to local section meetings, the AES continues its core mission: promoting the science and practice of audio."

Three-quarters through his term as president, Case is shepherding the results of 18 months of strategic analysis and planning begun during the term of his fellow executive committee member and immediate past president John Krivit. Recent announcements from the Society that highlight new initiatives and strategic alliances include the co-location of AES's 2017 and 2018 fall USA conventions with the National Association of Broadcasters' NAB New York Show events, and in January 2018, the inaugural AES@NAMM Pro Sound Symposium: Live and Studio.

In October, AES NY 2017 (exhibits October 18 - 20, technical program October 18 - 21) will take place in an adjacent hall to the 2017 NAB New York Show (October 18 - 19) in the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. Each of these events has a similar footprint of exhibition space, with over 300 exhibitors each, though a minimal overlap of the exhibitor pool. "As video-based production incorporates audio by its very nature," notes Case, "and with multimedia production becoming increasingly important for even music distribution, media professionals are discovering the need to work across disciplines. The focus of the NAB New York Show is video production. With AES's audio-centric exhibitors and technical program, the co-location of the events is a natural fit for today's media production professional."

"We've worked extremely closely with NAB to coordinate the exhibition schedule of the two independent events," continues Case. "Each show's attendees can freely move between both exhibition halls." AES NY 2017 registrants' full access to the 2017 NAB Show New York exhibition includes exhibition area stages where a slate of panel discussions and presentations is planned (the NAB Show New York 'core package'). Likewise, all 2017 NAB Show New York registrants will have complimentary access to the AES NY 2017 exhibition and the AES's exhibits-plus roster of content, including Special Events room sessions and the project studio, broadcast, live sound, Broadway sound and audio for virtual and augmented reality events taking place in AES's exhibition hall. Everyone wins in this scenario," says Case. "When you register for the AES exhibition, you double your opportunities. Individual participants and exhibitors alike can interface and network with a combined base expected to top 30,000 registrants. Of course, the famous portfolio of technical program events -- papers, tutorials, workshops, career and education, and more -- remains available to AES all access registrants."

While the west coast has been on a bi-annual AES convention schedule with New York City since the Society transitioned from two annual USA conventions to one in 1985, the commitment to hold the AES's USA convention in New York in 2017 and 2018 "doesn't mean that AES is abandoning the west coast," says Case. "Our AES International Conference on automotive audio takes place near Silicon Valley this fall (September 2017), and more events are in the works."

"Our west coast presence in 2018 begins with the new AES@NAMM event," Case continues, "which will be educational, informational, aspirational, and inspirational." The full title "AES@NAMM Pro Sound Symposium: Live and Studio" shares and underscores the event's scope. The resulting AES@NAMM is being launched coincident with the expansion of the Anaheim Convention Center. At NAMM 2018, the new ACC-North Hall will host a growing list of professional audio and related exhibitors. The ACC-North Hall is connected by sky bridge to the rest of the ACC, and it sits adjacent to the Anaheim Hilton Hotel. The Hilton's fourth floor will be the site of most AES@NAMM activities and sessions.

The emphasis of AES@NAMM will be on technology and its practical application in performance and studio audio and live sound. Education and training will be provided through a host of workshops, tutorials, and demonstrations, many including attendance certification. "AES@NAMM will be fee-based, just as our regular technical sessions are at all AES conferences and conventions worldwide," elaborates AES president-elect David Scheirman, who will take office as president shortly before the event. AES@NAMM attendees can elect to purchase single-session tickets, half-day or whole-day badges, and two-, three-, four-day 'all-in' badges with a laddered fee schedule based on their session attendance selections. Every AES@NAMM registrant will receive a NAMM show badge with full access to that organization's exhibits and other activities in addition to the AES@NAMM program.

AES@NAMM will serve working audio professionals as well as entry-level and aspirational audio enthusiasts, across a broad range of disciplines. AES@NAMM attendees will help provide NAMM its desired expansion of audio professionals at the NAMM Show. NAMM exhibitors, many of whom exhibit at both the AES Conventions and the NAMM Show, will also benefit from this increased professional end-user presence onsite.

"Each of these events represents acknowledgement of the leadership role of AES members in defining audio technology and in sharing their knowledge and its practical application to the industry at large," said Case. "Our strength is in our membership. As evidenced by these new cooperative ventures, the expertise of our membership is a valuable resource to everyone interested in audio."

"AES serves as an anchor membership for many who are also members of other specialized professional organizations such as IEEE, SMPTE, and the Acoustical Society of America," elaborates Scheirman. "AES is the rallying point for those serious about audio of whatever specialization."

As he prepares to hand the AES presidency to Scheirman in late October, at the beginning of the 2017-2018 term, Case notes that the path forward from current plans is a constant work-in-progress. "From the inspiration that comes from our local sections -- all around the world -- that serve as creative incubators of new ideas and experimentation, to the marketplace and technological leadership of our convention and conference committees and the topical committees that make up the AES Technical Council," he says, "the AES is constantly evaluating the needs of our membership and the interests of the broader industry. Those needs drive refinement of our diverse event portfolio. This evolution of the Society positions us to maintain our role as the world authority in audio technology and education, advancing audio globally."