Sennheiser has sponsored the Student Scholarship programme at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) and provided the college with its audio expertise and resources for more than 25 years. This year, first-year student of the BA (Hons) Sound Technology course Celeste Jones has been named winner of Sennheiser’s 2022 LIPA Scholarship. This will see receive financial support for tuition, and give her access to Sennheiser’s experience, expertise and global network of contacts.
‘It never ceases to amaze me just how talented LIPA students are,’ says Sennheiser Strategic Planning Manager Tim Sherratt, who was involved in the selection process and congratulated this year’s winner of the sought-after scholarship.
‘The quality of this year’s submissions was once again excellent. In selecting Celeste there is no doubt that she is deserving of this award. She is a wonderfully engaged and knowledgeable individual who possesses that rare equilibrium balance of the creative and technical mindset. I look forward to watching her grow over the coming years.’
Sherratt was supported in this year’s selection process by theatre sound designer, Ben Harrison: ‘This was the first time I was involved with the scholarship programme and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect,’ he says. ‘I was absolutely blown away by the quality of work the students presented to us, which made the selection process really hard! I can only echo Tim’s comments that Celeste is absolutely deserving of this award, and I’m looking forward to seeing where she goes and what she achieves in her career.’
Jones, a first-year student of the BA (Hons) Sound Technology course, echoed her excitement at receiving the scholarship: ‘I am honoured and elated to have been awarded this scholarship,’ she says. ‘Sennheiser’s financial support and their abundance of industry contacts are incredible prospects to developing as a young person in sound, and I am very grateful. I’m eager to keep studying at the amazing institute that is LIPA, amongst the outstanding people there, and to continue cultivating my skills in all areas of audio. This is an excellent opportunity with such a respected company, and I look forward to continuing our relationship over the coming years.’
As part of Sennheiser’s ongoing support, Volker Schmitt, Manager, Technical Application Engineering, and Marcus Blight, Technical Application Engineer, delivered an interactive and innovative masterclass for the third-year BA (Hons) Sound Technology students, drawing on Sennheiser’s experiences of miking the biggest stages in the world and working in this unique industry.
‘Both Marcus and I really enjoyed the opportunity to meet with the LIPA family, aka a close-knit group of LIPA teaching staff and some of the students, to be able to share our industry experience and discuss technical questions about supporting some of the world’s most complex live events,’ Schmitt says. ‘It was a great day full of interesting discussions and a bit of laughter, and a great chance to support young and up-and-coming students in their continuous pursuit of perfection in music and sound culture.’
This year has also marked a new chapter in a partnership of over 25 years between LIPA and Sennheiser, with the audio specialist extending its product support to LIPA to also include the new BA/MArts Filmmaking & Creative Technologies course.
‘The equipment offered by Sennheiser will facilitate the learning process of future storytellers, filmmakers, creatives and technicians, who will be using A/V technologies to deliver exceptional content for film, TV, theatre, concert and online audiences,’ says LIPA Head of Sound Technology, Jon Thornton. ‘We are grateful to have a partner so committed and supportive of our work and our students, helping them be prepared for whatever the future of the industry holds.’
