Alan Silverman
Adjunct Instructor
Alan is a producer, mastering engineer, and founder of the internationally recognized Arf! Mastering, now re-branded as Aerial Sound. He is credited for mastering over a hundred Grammy-winning and nominated records and has been nominated for Best Engineered Album, Record of the Year, and Album of the Year. His production credits include “Spellbound” for folk-icon Judy Collins, which earned a 2023 Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album, “Winter Stories” (Judy Collins) deemed the “Best Folk Album of 2019” by Digital Journal, and “Silver Skies Blue” (Judy Collins & Ari Hest) which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album in 2017.
As a mastering engineer his credit list includes Grammy nominated albums for Yola (Best Americana), Carlos Henriquez (Best Latin Jazz), Chris Cerrone (Best Classical), 8-Bit Big Band (Best Arrangement), Gregoire Maret, Romain Collin & Bill Frisell (Best Americana), The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (Best Latin Jazz), and EHSS & Signature Sound (Best Traditional Gospel).
Other recent mastering credits include jazz legend Catherine Russell, Americana icon Watchhouse, Euro-vision finalist MARO, and the ground-breaking “SYSTEM EP” by electronic musician Delia Beatriz, aka DJ Sound Debit, which made Pitchfork’s prestigious list of the 10-Best EDM albums of 2019.
After holding staff positions at some of New York City’s major studios, Alan began freelancing, working on music for feature films. He recorded film scores for directors Lasse HallstrÖm, David Mamet, and Frank Oz, and renowned composers Elmer Bernstein and John Barry. He recorded the soundtrack for “The Birdcage” starring Robin Williams, directed by Mike Nichols, and produced the soundtrack for the film adaptation of “The Fantasticks” directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
Alan has worked as music supervisor for Sesame Workshop directing Muppet performers and celebrities for Sesame Street’s network television specials “Elmopalooza” and “Cinderelmo,” and he garnered a Cable Ace Award for “Best Music Special,” as audio producer of “Child of Mine,” a film of live performances by Mary Chapin Carpenter, Rosanne Cash, Carole King, Emmylou Harris, and Dionne Warwick set in everyday locations.
Alan is active in The Recording Academy and the Audio Engineering Society and has chaired workshops in high-resolution mastering at the Society's national conventions. However, for all his professional recognition, he counts among his favorite accomplishments that he “almost” managed to train a Siberian husky. He is also an avid dancer who steps out of the cockpit of his “starship” regularly to recharge in local partner dance classes, which inform his understanding of music through movement.