Yury Kogan
‘Studio Porch Thoughts’
Watching owner and sound engineer Yury Kogan in action, is just one reason why Black Pearl Studios has quickly become music to the ears of major recording artists, musicians, television directors, radio and theatrical music producers.
Located in at the end of a string of factories in the Bayside area of Moorabbin, it’s hard to imagine when you first pull-up in car park, why the likes of Tony Gould, David Griffith, Vika Bull, ARIA and Grammy award winning musician, Gotye, Vince Jones, 30 piece jazz orchestras, 25 piece choirs and the producers of ‘Chopper the Musical’ have all chosen to record and produce their projects beyond the small grey door.
For any untrained musical ear like mine, the mystery immediately unfolds when invited into the production studio to hear the quality of the music being produced by the team of internationally acclaimed sound engineers and producers, including Yury.
Taking a break from creating his latest studio masterpiece for an artist’s CD, Yury proudly offered to me around his state-of-the-art recording studio, pointing out the very backdrops that were chosen for various scenes by Shine Australia’s director, Andrew Prowse for the top ratings telemovie – INXS – Never Tear Us Apart.
With over 30 years in the music business as an audio engineer, Yury has professionally worked with a wide range of musicians including Paul Kelly, Allan Zavod, Jimmy Barnes, Sarah Blasko, Debrah Conway, Tim Rogers and the Gateway Plan. When Yury decided to bring to life his dream of creating a world class recording studio in Melbourne with his wife Galina, they didn’t imagine word would quickly spread through the entertainment industry that Black Pearl Studios is where recording success often begins.
When did music come into your life?
From early age in St. Petersburg. I was brought up in a steady diet of classical music and ballet. As a teenager I discovered rock music and all the social aspects of being in the band. I learnt how to play guitar and set-off to rock and roll stardom. While studying at Melbourne University, I decided it wasn’t profitable enough, so I played in wedding bands for over three years.
At what point did you decide to go behind the scenes to produce music?
My lifelong dream has been to build a creative environment for musicians and engineers alike; where music of any style can be produced with world class quality. We have been fortunate that musicians and sound engineers recognised that we have a one-stop-shop that they can’t seem to find anywhere in Melbourne to suit their professional needs.
Why is Black Pearl Studios now considered to be the cream-of-the-top of recording studios in Melbourne?
Our facilities complements any musical genre and sound. We have the space and instruments on hand for a 50 piece ensemble and the intimacy for rock, pop and hip hop bands. Additionally, we have a Yamaha C7 grand piano in the recording studio and many top-class instruments sought after for jazz and classical performers.
So I am right in assuming you have architecturally designed the studio with musicians foremost in mind?
Yes! Our recording spaces were specially designed for all musical types. We sought advice from one of the best theoretical statisticians in the world, and as a result we launched two of the best acoustic recording spaces I have ever been to in the last 30 years.
What do your clients say?
They believe the acoustic performances are second to none. We receive many comments that they are thrilled to now have access to a recording facility in Melbourne that matches the most internationally acclaimed studios.
What calibre of producers and sound technicians are offered to clients at Black Pearl Studios?
Our audio engineering and production team is made up of myself, Terry Hart and Julian Mendelson. Julian has previously worked with likes of the Pet Shop Boys, Elton John, INXS, Bob Marley and Paul McCartney. He has an impressive count of twenty-five #1 hit tracks on the UK charts that he either recorded, engineered or co-produced. Terry has also worked with a number of Australian musicians and chose to base himself here as he loves the diversity and range of equipment that makes any genre and production possible.
I was amazed to see just how sophisticated and spacious the studio is when I worked through the door. Will you be adding any new dimensions in the future?
Yes. We will soon be upgrading with an additional third studio that includes a new post-production that will also be used for voice-overs, interviews and commercials.
What notable commercials have been filmed or recorded in the studio for radio or television?
We had Adidas executives shoot a commercial, which was filmed for MTV. Also the prime time television commercial Coles with old Brit Rockers 'Status Quo' performing 'DOWN, DOWN Prices are down!' We also recorded the catchy tune which appears in several parts of the commercial.
Black Pearl Studios is becoming known for supporting and nurturing local musicians. How are you involved on a grass-roots level?
We were the major sponsor of the ‘2013 Globe Battle of the Bands Competition.’ – We provided a three day recording session to both the Victorian finalists as part of the major prize. We have also launched a competition 'Search for Pearls 2014' to discover and promote local talent across 6 categories and music genres..
You are community focused with numerous programs scheduled for 2014. What are some of the highlights we can look forward to hearing more about?
We plan to host many school programs and workshops over the coming year. We hope to also work with churches and youth groups, as well as schools with the facilities to record choirs and musical productions on location or at Black Pearl Studios.
For any emerging artist, musicians or even companies wanting to do some voice over work for their video productions, is it actually affordable?
We have fantastic engineers with great experience and able to facilitate any project with prices of a small to medium facility. In other words, we provide the affordability, expertise, creativity and all necessary tools to make dreams come true. That is our mission. We love what we can achieve for all levels in all recording genres.
What is your Porch Thought for the day? Music makes our life better. We hope new generation of musicians are able to carry the torch and inspire audiences like the generations before them.