The Art of Record Production Conference
The ARP conference is organised by a committee of international scholars and practitioners comprising the director(s), conference chairs and a nominated host university or institution.
Our keynotes and guest speakers are highly regarded industry professionals and / or leading scholars.
Wherever possible we seek to make the connection between the academic world of research and pedagogy, and the industry world of creative practice and commerce; to examine how they can help each other and promote mutual understanding.
We welcome proposals for hosting the Art of Record Production conference: CONTACT US
ARP Director:
Katia Isakoff (formation - present)
Katia Isakoff is one of the UK’s first female contracted record producers (EMI/Mute Records). She was elected to the board of the UK Music Producers Guild and served as a Director during the formation and launch of the MPG Awards. In addition to her solo career as a composer, performer and producer, she has collaborated with pioneering and award winning artists, engineers and producers. In partnership, she has built, managed and owned two small West London commercial studios; one of which now forms part of a large award winning studio complex (under new ownership).
As a leading advocate for women in music production, and the founder of the non-profit Women Produce Music (WPM), Katia works with partners and her international network of artists, producers and engineers to remove entry level and career progression barriers.
Katia has designed, taught, led and delivered undergraduate and postgraduate courses at several UK universities, and continues to divide her time between industry and academia.
Editor-in-Chief (Joint) Founder: Journal on the Art of Record Produciton
Co-Editor: Art of Record Production: Creative Practice in the Studio (2020)
Contributor: The Art of Music Production: The Theory and Practice (2013)
Contributing Author: The Art of Record Production: An Introductory Reader (2012)
ARP Director (past):
Simon Zagorski-Thomas (formation - 2017)
In 2005, Simon co-organised the first Art of Record Production conference in London and in subsequent years worked with Katia Isakoff and a range of international hosts to take the conference around the world. Simon and Katia also founded the Journal on the Art of Record Production and the Association for the Study of the Art of Record Production. In 2016 he established the 21st Century Music Practice research network.
Co-Editor: Art of Record Production: Creative Practice in the Studio (2020)
Author: The Musicology of Record Production (2014)
Co-Editor: The Art of Record Production: An Introductory Reader (2012)
ARP CONFERENCE CHAIRS
Katia Isakoff (formation - 2019)
Simon Zagorski-Thomas (formation - 2017)
Shara Rambarran (2018 and 2019)
Shara Rambarran, author of Virtual Music: Sound, Music, and Image in the Digital Era (Bloomsbury), is a musicologist and senior lecturer in music, business and media at the University of Brighton, UK. Since graduating in music from the University of Sheffield (UK), Shara did most of her practitioner/industry work (performing, composing, production, and music PR) in Essex and London, before returning to the academia to specialise in popular musicology. After completing her doctorate in music at the University of Salford, Greater Manchester (UK), she taught in various music degree programmes in the UK and North America.
Shara is the co-editor of The Oxford Handbook of Music and Virtuality, The Routledge Research Companion to Popular Music Education, DIVA: Feminism and Fierceness from Pop to Hip-Hop (Bloomsbury), and The Intellect Handbook of Popular Music Methodologies (forthcoming). Shara is also Bloomsbury’s Music and Sound's biographer, and musicologist for Spotify’s award-winning Decode music podcast.
GUEST SPEAKERS
In Association with Women Produce Music:
Suzanne Ciani, Susan Rogers, Marcella Araica, Ann Mincielli, Maureen Droney, Terri Winston, Cookie Marenco, Susan Schmidt-Horning, Helen Reddington, Paula Wolfe
In Association with the Recording Academy (GRAMMYs):
Phil Ramone, Tony Maserati, Kenny Gamble, Joseph Tarsia,
In Association with the Music Producers Guild:
Robin Millar (Record Producer), Mike Howlett (Record Producer/MPG Chair), Katia Isakoff (Record Producer/MPG Director)
HOST INSTITUTIONS AND KEYNOTES
2019: Berklee College of Music (USA)
Keynote(s): Ann Micielli (Jungle City Studios) in conversation with Katia Isakoff (Women Produce Music)
Guest speakers: Theresa Leonard Susan Schmidt-Horning Darla Hanley
2018: University of Huddersfield (UK)
Keynote(s) Andrew Scheps
2017: Royal College of Music (Sweden)
Keynote(s) Benny Andersson
2016: Aalborg University (Denmark)
Keynote(s) Valgeir Sigurðsson Susan Schmidt Horning Thomas Bärtschi
2015: Drexel University (USA)
Keynote(s) Tony Maserati, Kenny Gamble, Joseph Tarsia
Guest Speakers: Trevor Pinch, Suzanne Ciani, Maureen Droney, Susan Rogers
2014: University of Oslo (USA)
Keynote(s) Susan Rogers
Guest Speakers:
2013: Université Laval (Canada)
Keynote(s) André Perry
Guest Speakers: Martha De Francisco Lori Burns Steve D'Agostino Albin Zak
2011: San Francisco State University (USA)
Keynote(s) Narada Michael Walden
Guest Speakers:
Val Garay Grammy award winning producer and engineer
Maureen Droney (Vice President of the Recording Academy)
Keith Olsen (Fleetwood Mac, Ozzy Osbourne, the Grateful Dead, Whitesnake)
Marcella Araica (Britney Spears, Madonna, Pink)
Cookie Marenco (OTR Studios, Blue Coast Records)
Terri Winston (Women's Audio Mission)
Stephen Hart (White Stripes, Oscar Peterson, David Bowie, En Vogue, Neville Brothers, Issac Hayes, Booker T and the MG’s, Tony Bennet and Bill Evans
2010: Leeds Metropolitan University (USA)
Keynote(s) Steve Albini
Guest Speakers:
2009: University of Glamorgan (USA)
Keynote(s) Pete Waterman
2008: University of Massachusettes Lowell (USA)
Keynote(s) Phil Ramone
2007: Queensland University of Technology (AUS)
Keynote(s) Hank Shocklee
Guest Speakers:
2006: University of Edinburgh
Keynote(s) Joe Boyd
Guest Speakers:
2005: University of Westminster
Keynote(s) Robin Millar
Guest Speakers:
The Journal on the Art of Record Production
Editors-in-Chief: Katia Isakoff (Founding Editor) and Richard James Burgess MBE
Editors: Shara Rambarran and Brandon Vaccaro
Guest Editors: Please see individual journal issues.
Peer Reviewers: Please see Reviewers listing: here
The Journal on the Art of Record Production (JARP) is an international double-blind peer reviewed open access online journal promoting the interdisciplinary study of music production. The term ‘record production’ is to be interpreted in the broadest sense as the production of recorded music.
JARP was founded in 2006 by Simon Zagorski-Thomas and Katia Isakoff. JARP has published eleven open access electronic issues, and a twelfth in book form. Interviews with GRAMMY nominated and award winning musicians and record producers can be found on our website and published in our books.