What’s it like to hire a graduate from The Blackbird Academy? This letter from Don Muzquiz, Tour and Production Manager for Cassadee Pope, says it was better than we ever could hope. Muzquiz writes about Tyler Oplinger, a June 2014 graduate of the Live Sound Engineering Program:

“I wanted to follow up about our recent hiring of Tyler Oplinger.
When we set out to find someone for the position of Monitor Engineer and Guitar Tech, we knew it would be a challenge.
Normally this position would best be suited for someone with many years of experience. However, as with most new acts, we are under budget constraints and would not be able to afford the most seasoned engineers that might be available.
The Monitor position alone is quite challenging since we do not carry any of our own audio gear. This means that our hire would have to be able to handle different equipment and different audio consoles from day to day.
Tyler was up for the challenge and has taken on the task with flying colors.
He was fresh out of The Blackbird Academy when we hired him. He tells me the “hands-on” training was quite extensive and contributed greatly to his preparedness.
I can see that the intense course gave him an opportunity to succeed in a real touring situation. Tyler has impressed me with his strong work ethic and ability to dive into anything we have thrown at him. I am confident that he will have a great future in this business, and we are proud to have him on our team.”

– Don Muzquiz, Tour Manager / Production Manager with Cassadee Pope

You rule, Tyler! Great job! Sign up now for our Live Sound Engineering program and learn from top instructors and working engineers with hands-on experiential training. Apply today.