SAE Institute Announces Partnership with the Recording Academy as the First National Education Sponsor for 2011

NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- SAE Institute, the world's foremost audio engineering, animation, multimedia and film training institute announced today that they will be the first national education sponsor of the Recording Academy's Professional Educational Initiatives for 2011.  The significance of this announcement comes as a precursor to the upcoming Grammy Awards, hosted by the Recording Academy that will take place in LA this week.

In conjunction with this partnership and both organizations' commitment to education and supporting opportunities for underprivileged youth; SAE will be sponsoring a well-deserving student from Fernando Pullum High School in LA to attend the Grammy Awards with Frank Rodriguez, a well known Latin Grammy nominee and professor from SAE Institute for a once in a lifetime mentoring experience.

The student recipient, William Rhodes, who was coordinated by SAE Institute's ongoing partner the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus  for this Ultimate Student Grammy Experience Program, has proved to be a shining example of hard work and incredible talent.  William's Saturdays are often spent giving free lessons to elementary school kids and now, this South LA native will finally be rewarded for his community dedication in turn.  Inspired from playing in his school Jazz band, William aspires to one day be an engineer.

Frank Rodriguez, a hand chosen mentor from SAE Institute is the perfect role model for William, who will be able to spend one on one time with the industry legend to discuss his experience and insight.  In addition to having been nominated for a Latin Grammy himself Frank has worked with the likes of Shakira, Flo-Rida, Justin Timberlake, Bow Wow, Rick Ross, Joss Stone and has helped produce the Spanish version albums for Beyonce and Christina Aguilera.  As a top tier engineer in the field who has become know for his "golden touch" and hard work, he also boasts a long list of credentials including credits as the triple platinum producer for Daddy Yankee and Latin Grammy Award winner Juan Luis Guerra.

"SAE Institute is proud both to be the first national educational sponsor for the Recording Academy but to also be in a position to provide this opportunity to a deserving student.  We are honored to be helping support someone who has struggled so hard to follow his dreams.  At SAE Institute we believe that hard work and a passion for music should be rewarded.  This is the beginning of an initiative that we hope will continue going forward," commented Marco Bettelli, President of SAE USA.

2011 will be a big year for SAE Institute and the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus whose partnership will include initiatives with the Urban School Partnership, the Battle of the Bands, and the 2011 National Open House Tour.

About SAE Institute

Founded in Sydney Australia, 1976, SAE Institute has campuses in 54 cities across the globe and is a leading international provider of audio engineering, animation, multimedia and film production courses. By providing hands on tuition along with access to the very latest state-of-the-art equipment in a practical, real world setting, SAE ensures students' knowledge and skill levels are relevant to industry expectations. SAE currently has schools in New York City, Nashville, San Francisco, Miami, Atlanta and Los Angeles with plans to expand to several other US cities near term. Please visit www.sae-usa.com for more information on USA campuses.

The Recording Academy

Celebrating music through the GRAMMY Awards for more than 50 years, The Recording Academy continues its rich legacy and ongoing growth as the premier outlet for honoring achievements in the recording arts and supporting the music community. The GRAMMYs are the only peer-presented award to honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position. As we move ahead in an ever-changing music environment, The Recording Academy looks forward to the new opportunities of a growing organization.

About the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus (www.lennonbus.org)

The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is a non-profit state-of-the-art mobile Pro Audio and HD video recording facility that provides hands-on experiences for students of all ages. In its 14th year of touring, the venture is proud of its fully professional bus and its studios, which boast the latest audio and video technology, gear and products. The concept began as an offshoot of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, which is dedicated to providing opportunities for both professional and amateur songwriters around the world. The Bus travels across the U.S. and Canada year-round, providing free tours and workshops at schools, retailers, festivals, on tours with headlining artists, and at major industry conferences.

The Bus, a 501(c)(3) venture, is made possible through the generosity of sponsors including Apple, Avid, Mont Blanc, NAMM, SAE Institute, Gibson, Epiphone, Neutrik, Sony, Audio-Technica, Sonicbids, Musician's Friend, Music Player Network, Litepanels, Reflecmedia, Disc Makers, Mobile Roadie, Ampeg, Roland, Boss, Mackie, Digital Media Academy, Aphex Systems, Apogee, Manfrotto Distribution, iZotope, Glyph Technologies, Harris Corporation, Applied Acoustics Systems, Antares, McDSP, IK Multimedia, Adobe, Native Instruments, Slingerland Drums, Noise Industries, and Mad Mimi.

The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is made possible by an agreement with Yoko Ono Lennon.

SOURCE SAE Institute