The Audio Engineering Society (AES) unites audio engineers, creative artists,
scientists and students worldwide. The AES is dedicated to diffusing and
advancing educational and scientific knowledge in audio engineering, as well as
advocating for the field and its allied arts in both theoretical and practical
application. The AES further aims to stimulate interest in audio engineering, to
encourage the interchange of ideas and to promote high professional standards
amongst its members.
I knew very little of this when I attended my first AES event, the
110th Convention in Amsterdam in 2001. But I was in awe. The great names and
legends in the field were in attendance, new technologies were being unveiled
and I had the opportunity to forge friendships and collaborations that still enrich
my career.
I am humbled to now be president of this organization. And the more I am aware
of all the AES activities, the more appreciative I am of the AES and what it offers
to the community of audio engineers and our industry.
I cannot do justice to the full scale of AES activities, but it’s worth highlighting a
few. AES Standards bring the industry's engineering teams together to facilitate
new technologies, improve workflow and sonic performance and ensure
interoperability. AES publications offer over 20,000 documents in the E-library,
featuring some of the greatest advances in the field. In my own work, I refer to
AES publications almost daily. The AES Technical Council features technical
committees that steer and promote advances in all areas of audio
engineering. The AES Diversity, Equity and Inclusion community strives to
ensure diversity in the AES worldwide and the audio industry as a whole by
improving accessibility, welcoming diverse genres, embracing emergent audio
fields and research, and radiating inclusiveness to all. The Audio Product
Education Institute (APEI) is a unique resource for members seeking to learn
more about topics related to product development and manufacturing in the 21st
century. The Education Committee does more than just distribute technical and
creative information to its membership and the public at large. Its outreach and
coordination activities serve to educate, mentor and enhance the careers of
students across the globe.
I also want to take an opportunity to give thanks to all those who have led the
AES over the years, with a special acknowledgement to the two most recent AES
presidents. Jonathan Wyner and his predecessor Agnieszka Roginska were
presented with unprecedented challenges these last two years. Yet now, at the
beginning of 2022, the AES finds itself in a stronger position than when Covid
began. Collaborating with the stellar membership of our Boards of Directors and
Governors, Agnieszka and Jonathan provided clear leadership and supported the
innovation that was required. And now we are positioned to continue to grow and
thrive as the AES.
The field of audio engineering is changing fast. Machine learning is introducing
changes to almost every facet of our lives, the music industry continues to
undergo rapid innovation, and professionals continually require training in new
technologies and workflows. The AES understands and embraces this need to
adapt. Handled well, these changes can bring new and better audio, as well as a
more inclusive and diverse field, encouraging talent, creativity and innovation
from all walks of life.
However, to say that we have challenges would be an understatement. We need
to constantly improve ourselves and learn new skills to remain up to date in our
quickly changing world; audio professionals must continuously adapt to be able
to excel in their work.
As I write, the 152nd Convention is close on the horizon, the AES Europe Show
in The Hague in May, 2022. While we are still in uncertain times, our expectation
is that this will be the first major AES event with an in-person attendance since
the Covid situation began. That is going to generate quite a lot of excitement, and
I’m looking forward to meeting many of you there, and throughout 2022.
Yours truly,
Josh Reiss
