Faculty

Chopper Black
cblack@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 1996
Primary Department: Engineering
Secondary Department: Production
Tertiary Department: Live Sound

Professional Experience: From Paula Abdul to Yanni to Bobby Z and hundreds of artists in between, Chopper brings a national spotlight to McNally Smith College of Music. With over 35 years of extraordinary experience Chopper has extensive knowledge in audio recording, music production, advertising, teaching, and live performance. He has worked for nearly every major record label in the U.S., including Virgin, Capitol, MCA, Motown, and Warner Brothers. He has multiple platinum and gold records to his credit.

Chris Blood
cblood@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2004
Primary Department: Engineering
Secondary Department: Production
Tertiary Department: Live Sound

Professional Experience: 15 Years of experience. Musician, Studio owner, Recording Engineer, Live Sound Engineer and Studio Consultant. Select Credits Include: Atmosphere, Next, Juvenile, Mr. Cheeks, James Grear and Co, Big Walter Smith, Lil’ Romeo,  Eyedea & Abilities, Brother Ali, Unknown Prophets, Black Flood Diesel, Anderson Windows, MN Dot, Boulder Buddy’s, Sony Records, No Limit Records, Universal Records and Rhymesayers Entertainment. Christopher has covered a lot of ground in his 15 years in the recording industry.  Starting off as a teen drummer in a local rock band, Christopher worked his way into recording some of the premiere artists in the twin city’s area. In 1997 Christopher became Co-owner of “A440 studios.” Over the 9 years at A440, he recorded and produced countless albums for top local and major label artists. Christopher has also had the pleasure of working in some of the top recording studios around the United States. Favorites include Outkast’s studio “Stankonia” and “Bernie Grundman Mastering” in Hollywood. In 2006 Christopher started a new chapter in his recording career opening the twin city’s based “Sonic Edge Studios” where he continues to work with top talent locally and abroad.  Christopher is also very active in the live sound world and has been a design and operations consultant for recording studios in MN, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Texas. 

Tom Day
tday@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2002
Primary Department: Engineering
Secondary Department: Production
Tertiary Department: Live Sound
Formal Education: B.A. from California State University; A.A. from Orange Coast College; A.S. in Electronics Engineering Technology from the University of Nebraska

Professional Experience: Tom has more than 35 years of experience as a musician and an audio engineer. From 1976-1982, Tom was co-owner of Wirebender Audio Systems, a recording studio, live sound system provider, and an audio equipment manufacturing facility. From 1983-1991, he worked for QSC Audio Products as a product test and design engineer, the Manufacturing Engineering Manager, and the Technical Services Manager. While living in Southern California, Tom kept his hand in audio engineering as a recording and live engineer working with a wide variety of bands including the Sum Fun Band, NRBQ, Dick Dale, the Nylons, Geoff Muldaur, etc.) and organizations/facilities (including the Pacific Jazz Festival, the KLOS Mark and Brian’s Birthday Party, San Juan Capistrano’s Coach House, the Orange County Performing Arts Center, the Anaheim Centennial Theater, and others.

Ricardo Ehramjian
rehramjian@mcnallysmith.edu
Primary Department: Engineering
Secondary Department: Production
Tertiary Department: Live Sound

Professional Experience: Ricardo has been active as a recording engineer for a variety of bands, commercials, and television spots as well as drummer and band manager for Tim Mahoney and the Blue Meenies. He has expertise in software, computer hardware, and high-end pro audio equipment and has served as store manager for Knut-Koupe and sales representative for Guitar Center.

Bryan Forrester
bforrester@mcnallysmith.edu
Chair, Technology
Primary Department: Engineering
Secondary Department: Production
Tertiary Department: Live Sound

Professional Experience: Bryan is the owner of Forrester Audio Networx, a production studio specializing in broadcast audio, including V/O record, music composition, sound design, and mix for radio and TV commercials. Bryan has worked as audio engineer or producer for numerous commercial clients including Target, Best Buy, Pillsbury, Chili's, Northwest Airlines, and Purina. While at Hudson-Forrester Studios, Bryan worked on numerous acoustic and jazz recordings. Bryan is also an accomplished bass player and vocalist and has worked throughout the U.S. and Canada as a performer and recording artist.

Sheldon Kessel
skessel@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2004
Primary Department: Engineering
Secondary Department: Production
Tertiary Department: Live Sound
Formal Education:BM Composition - Minnesota State University, Moorhead
Unix/C/C++ certificate - University of Minnesota
Currently MALS - Hamline University

Professional Experience: Sheldon's music has been played in clubs, on concert stages, and on college radio stations throughout North and South America. As a freelance producer and audio engineer, he has worked with several independent record labels throughout the upper Midwest. He specializes in electronic music production and digital recording.

Joseph Mabbott
jmabbott@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2007
Primary Department: Engineering
Secondary Department: Production
Tertiary Department: Live Sound
Formal Education:The Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences

Professional Experience: Joe Mabbott was raised in a musical family, and began his own life in music as a drummer at the age of 2. He grew up as a performer, and after high school he felt it was time to turn his passion into a career. After graduating from The Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Phoenix, he relocated to Minneapolis, Minnesota in February 1995, and accepted an assistant engineer position at Trail Mix Studios. At the time, Trail Mix was a studio primarily known for its work in post production for the television and film industry. After four years at Trail Mix working on a vast array of commercials and short films, as well as numerous album projects (in all facets- engineering, mixing, editing, sound design, and playing drums and percussion) Joe then started freelance engineering around Minneapolis at several post and music studios.

In 2001, after two years of steady freelance work, Trail Mix Studios hired Joe back full time as manager and head engineer of the facility. In 2003, he bought out Trail Mix Studios and reorganized it as The Hideaway Studio, and his experience and style lured many of Minneapolis’ top hip-hop and indie rock acts, immediately establishing The Hideaway as a favorite of local artists.  Joe’s work with national and international touring artists like Atmosphere, Brother Ali, Cloud Cult, Golden, Heiruspecs, I Self Devine, The Plastic Constellations, 5 Mile Chase, and many others has turned the Hideaway Studio into one of The Twin Cities more reputable and successful studios.

Scott Malchow
smalchow@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 1999
Primary Department: Engineering
Secondary Department: Production
Tertiary Department: Live Sound
Formal Education:B. A. Music, Augsburg College, Minneapolis

Professional Experience: Scott has over 30 years of experience in the music and recording industry. He has worked as a session musician, arranger, producer, and engineer on many different types of projects. These include national radio and television advertising, film and video scoring,educational materials,church publishing, interactive game music,corporate communication, as well as numerous CD projects with various artists.

Craig Schlattman
cschlattman@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2005
Primary Department: Engineering
Secondary Department: Production
Tertiary Department: Live Sound
Formal Education:BA University of Minnesota, MFA California Institute of the Arts
General Education:Apple Certified Trainer, Final Cut Pro Certification, Avid, After Effects, DVD Studio Pro, Arriflex and Panavision Camera's

Professional Experience: Craig has been making films since the 70's, he has produced and directed an eclectic array of award winning films that have earned him a following in both the art and film world and have been included in shows at the Museum Of Modern Art in New York, and the Institute For American Studies in Barcelona.  Very much a part of the Independent American film movement of the 90's, his feature films have had theatrical release's and garnered critical acclaim from the American, and European Press.  He is an Award Winning Director, Cameraman, Production Sound Mixer and Writer formerly based in Los Angeles and has won local awards as Producer of the Year and Program of the Year for local programming.  Craig's photographs have been exhibited in numerous one person shows and nationally in venues such as the J. Paul Getty Museum, New Museum Of Contemporary Art in New York, reviewed & published in ArtForum, Arts, NY Times, LA Times, LA Weekly, and the Village Voice.  In addition to teaching at McNally Smith, he writes feature scripts, works as editor and producer on Independent productions, and directs his own feature films.

Rob Schlette
rschlette@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2001
Primary Department: Engineering
Secondary Department: Production
Tertiary Department: Live Sound
Formal Education:M.A., Media Studies, New School University; B.S., Music, Magna Cum Laude, Quincy University
General Education:Pro Tools Certification

Professional Experience: Rob Schlette is a Minneapolis based recording engineer and musician, as well as the owner of Anthem Mastering. His credits include major label and indie artist from all over the U.S. and Canada, including Seth Carlin, The Audible Doctor, J.P. Hoe, Chuck Berry, and Fort Wilson Riot. He earned a Master of Arts in Media Studies from the New School University and a Bachelor of Science in Music from Quincy University.

In addition to his work as an engineer and musician, Rob is an owner/partner in the technical audio services company Studio Service Group. He has been involved in the planning and installation of more than 25 recording studios, including the Russ Berger designed Four Seasons Studios in St. Louis, and the multi-room studio facility at McNally Smith College of Music. As a Systems Engineer for Studio Network Solutions, Rob designed and installed fibrechannel SAN systems for major facilities like VidFilm/Technicolor L.A. and Paragon Studios in Nashville.

David Wiens
Faculty Member Since: 2006
Primary Department: Engineering
Secondary Department: Production
Tertiary Department: Live Sound
Formal Education: Bachelor Degree, Conservatory at the University of Missouri

Professional Experience: David Wiens graduated from the Conservatory at the University of Missouri, Kansas City with a bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance. He then began freelance session work as a guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, and producer until he was hired as the Chief Engineer/Producer at Forerunner Music, a small ministry related record label in Kansas City, where he recorded and produced over twenty albums.  Along with teaching at the McNally Smith College of music, David still works independently as a producer and recording engineer, and enjoys making music on his Chapman Stick.