In a proud moment, the Indian Recording Arts Awards (IRA Awards), held at the PALM Expo will be honouring renowned studio designer Andy Munro for ‘Global Innovation in Studio Design’.

In its 8th edition this year, this is the first time that the category has been introduced with IRA having the privilege of having a stellar figure on their roll. ‘Global Innovation in Studio Design’ takes cognizance of path-breaking practices and advancements in the field that are in line with traditional elements and requirements of the environment. Munro’s work, since the last two decades has been such that it perfectly goes hand-in-hand with the outlook and views that IRA promotes.

Expressing his delight, Munro states, “To receive recognition for one’s work is always gratifying but to receive an award in a country with such a long tradition of music and film recording is an exceptional honour. Since I got my first project, Famous Studios, I have worked with some of India’s best producers, musicians and engineers and I must say it has been a fascinating experience. Indian music is full of complex sounds and subtleties and bringing those out with control rooms and recording spaces has been very rewarding.”

In 1980, Andy Munro set up his own design practice, specialising in studio design and acoustic analysis where he adopted techniques such as time-delay spectrometry, which was not commonly used in the UK at the time. Ten years later, he co-founded Dynaudio Acoustics – manufacturer of monitor systems for recording and film mixing facilities. His custom-built monitor system systems at AIR Lyndhurst have been used continually since 1992.

In the last decade, Munro has established a consultancy in India and designed studios for many well known names in the music industry, some of them being Salim-Sulaiman, Kailash Kher, A R Rahman and Ram Sampath. The studios designed by him include Studio Nysa, Samved Studios, Famous Studios, Shree Balaji and blueFROG among others.

He continues, “The world of professional audio has changed out of all recognition and it is now an industry with thousands of people making recordings. One thing has not changed and that is our ability to hear the difference between good and bad sound. I hope that this award and ones to others will bring an appreciation of the dedicated sound people who still believe in true audio fidelity.”

He is also a member of the Audio Engineering Society in both the USA and Europe, where he has delivered several papers on studio design techniques. Munro Acoustics recently partnered with Dolby, Disney and the Pinewood-Shepperton Group to develop the new Atmos standard for film mixing theatres. Munro is now in the process of designing studios for the new BBC headquarters in London.

The IRA Award jury comprises of distinguished professionals and experts from the recording industry that include K J Singh (Sound Engineer, Fast Forward Productions), Daman Sood (Veteran Sound Recordist), Vijay Kurien (Keyboardist and Whistling Woods Faculty) and DJ Suketu.

K J Singh, as the Chairman of the Committee believes that having a noted and prominent entity such as Andy Munro not only adds value to the Awards but also takes them a notch higher. “Andy Munro has been a familiar name with the recording industry here and is responsible for some of the best facilities that we have. Through Munro Acoustics India, a lot of quality work has been delivered and we at IRA appreciate having him among us at the ceremony.”

Agreeing with Singh, Anil Chopra, Convener of the PALM Expo says, “Passion of studio owners in India attracts global talent to deliver imaginative design. The love affair with Andy Munro by the Indian recording arts industry goes back decades. It is a privilege to honour Andy Munro and his contribution to excellence in sound recording. It is so wonderful that the magical PALM Expo hosts the IRA Awards and we have his great man present to receive our appreciation.”

The 8th IRA Awards, apart from celebrating talent in the recording arts will also take note of musicianship and the evolving music industry by awarding the best through four newly introduced categories, namely, Best Guitarist (Recorded), Best Percussionist (Recorded), Best Electronic Dance Music Production (DJ) and Best Electronic Music Composition.

The Award ceremony will take place at the Goregaon Exhibition Center, Mumbai on May 31, 2014 at 4 pm. For more information, visit www.iraa.in

About IRA Awards:

From 2006 onwards, the Indian Recording Arts (IRA) Awards honour and recognise exceptional and fresh talent each year. Some of the winners of the IRA include A R Rahman, Shantanu Hudlikar, Shadaab Rayeen, Aditya Modi, Asha Rani Mathur, Ashish Manchanda, Manohar Kunte, Eric Pillai, Ram Sampath, Mohit Chauhan, Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal, Gino Banks, and Bickram Ghosh among others. Now in its 8th edition, IRA Awards will continue to applaud the best in Indian music; those who exhibit the courage, and creativity to bring about a transformation in the world of music.

About PALM Expo:

PALM Expo is India’s longest running and most highly attended international trade platform for the Indian pro audio, live sound & lighting, music production and system integration industry. Entering in its 14th year, PALM Expo has been delivering the true potential of the growing media and entertainment business in India. It is the only show, since inception, which enjoys the continued support pledged by leading industry players who drive the business and growth.