Lincoln graduate named record industry ‘rising star’

A University of Lincoln audio production graduate has been named the best young talent in the professional audio industry at the prestigious 2017 Pro Sound Awards.

Luke Pickering (27), attended the awards ceremony in London last night (Thursday 28th September), where he won the ‘Rising Star Award’, commending up-and-coming talent in the sector.

Since graduating from the University of Lincoln with a BA (Hons) in Audio Production in 2012, Luke has gone on to gain a wealth of experience in the music industry. He is currently working as both an Assistant Engineer to Grammy-winning producer Paul Epworth, whose production and writing credits include Adele, U2 and Coldplay, and as an In-house Assistant and Engineer at The Church Studios in North London – a role he secured after impressing the team during a work experience placement.

In just a few short years, Luke has already racked up an impressive list of credits which includes the likes of London Grammar, The Stone Roses and The Horrors.

Speaking after receiving the award, Luke said: “I’m over the moon to have won the Pro Sound Rising Star award. There was some amazing talent and credentials amongst the other nominees so it’s a genuine surprise to be chosen, and I’m very grateful.”

Despite his success, Luke continues to return home every year to share his experience of working in the sound industry with current students on the Audio Production degree course in Lincoln – something he feels is really important.

Luke explained: “Recording studios are notoriously secretive places and it’s really not an easy industry to find employment in so I always try to be as frank as possible to students about what it is studios are looking for, and what they can be expected to do if they land a placement in one. Things in the audio industry are changing all the time, and every company is unique in its demands, so having professionals coming in and talking about it is vital.”

David McSherry, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for the BA (Hons) Audio Production degree at the University of Lincoln, said: “Luke’s hard work is really paying off. As a student he made the most of the fantastic facilities and spent many a long hour working with bands in the recording studio. It’s this proactive attitude that we hope to nurture in our students and Luke is a shining example of this.”

Talking about his time at the University of Lincoln, Luke said: “There were a vast range of essential skills I would have struggled to learn elsewhere. There’s obviously the technical stuff but just as importantly you learn how to work in a group and to be part of a team – after all, people skills will be one of your most valuable assets when you’re in the industry!”