Testimonial Quotes

“For any music department that takes its composition and orchestration classes seriously, the use of Ravel Virtual Studios should not be a luxury, it should be a necessity.”

Robert S. Hekemian, Jr.
Board of Directors, New York Philharmonic

“Having been a producer/engineer for over 30 years, it was my great fortune to have discovered the services of Ravel Virtual Studios. What they are offering is not only cutting edge but, as important to me, their attention to detail through the entire project. In the music production business, a project will require stages of modification before its completion, and the staff of Ravel is there with you every note along the way. In fact, they are not satisfied until the client is completely satisfied with the results.

“What I also value highly about their service is that, besides being technically and musically proficient, they are able to take it to the next level of realism with the subtle nuances of musicality, which can be quite elusive. The end result is a product that can be easily compared to a conventional recording of a work. I have witnessed many attempts at reaching this goal by others in my career, but this is the first time I can truly say that ‘we have arrived,’ thanks to Ravel Virtual Studios!”

Don Hunerberg
Producer & Engineer;
Chief Recording Engineer, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

“Ravel Virtual Studios is an amazing virtual orchestra which provides students and composers with inspiring new opportunities. The performances and demos sound splendid!”

Jay Reise
Robert Weiss Professor of Music Composition, University of Pennsylvania;
President, Orchestra 2001

“Your realization of my piece is full of subtlety and richness that I did not expect to hear. Ravel Virtual Studios has overwhelmingly satisfied a need for composers that I had thought was impossible to fill.”

Lane Harder
Adjunct Professor of Music, The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University;
Faculty, European American Musical Alliance Summer Music Programs

“You produced a beautiful recording, that sounds really ‘real.’ Your fine musicianship is evident in your product.”

J. Eric Schmidt
Composer, Conductor and Orchestrator for Film, Television and Concert;
Faculty, Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television, USC Thornton School of Music

“Ravel Virtual Studios brings an invaluable service to composers. The state-of-the-art technology, combined with the great sensibility and artistry of the music director, Ron Artinian, produced a high-quality performance, comparable to a good session with live musicians. They gladly and easily can make needed changes to draft versions of performances. The final performance is very satisfying, and can be used promotionally to increase the chances a piece will be performed live.”

Dan Lazarescou
Composer

“Your mockups are of the best there are, both musically and sonically. This is no thin compliment.

“Your producing standard is very high and shows that you are not only top notch in your command with samples but also exceptional in regards of musical taste and expression. This is not only the work of a professional but also shows a well-ripened musical mind.

“Your deep musical understanding of style, ‘gestus’ and embedding into a musical culture makes you a great partner for any contemporary composer.”

Hannes Frischat
Composer, Violinist;
Served as Concertmaster with the Chamber Opera of Hanover, Germany

“The people at Ravel Virtual Studios simply could not have been nicer. Within an hour of uploading my piece, I received a personalized email greeting with details about how and when my project would be completed. Their work was fantastic—the orchestration sounded professional and wonderful, and they were able to bring out details I never imagined I would hear in a virtual realization—they even faithfully reproduced a section of my music that was aleatoric. Throughout the process, they kept in touch with me, asking for and responding to my opinions. Every detail, both musical and otherwise (including the artwork they selected for my CD) was of the highest quality. I can’t wait to work with them again in the future.

Alec Schumacker
Composer

“Thanks not only for the very convincing realizations, but also for being so accommodating; the obvious sincerity of your desire to meet my needs has been highly gratifying.”

Dr. Scott Robinson
Professor of Composition, Eastern University;
Founder, Mandala Band

“There is no doubt that the authentic sound quality of Ravel Virtual Studios’ recording contributed to the success of my composition, “Rachel’s Dreams,” at the ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Competition, where the piece was awarded out of 680 applicants. Without Ravel Virtual Studios, I would not have been able to submit my orchestra piece to this competition, as I would never have found the time or resources to hire a live orchestra to rehearse and record the entire piece. The excellent sonority of Ravel’s recording sounded like a live orchestra performance!”

Eleanor Bragg
ASCAP Foundation 2009 Morton Gould Young Composer Award recipient;
2009 Pikes Peak Young Composers Competition winner

“I needed an audio recording of my composition, very quickly. I understood that I didn’t have time to rehearse with a trio group and knew that MIDI files would only produce a general interpretation of the piece, with a ‘mechanical’ sound.

“I thought to myself, there couldn’t possibly be a way to create an audio file with realistic dynamics, but also with perfect technique and understanding of the notes. In addition, it had to be completed within a few days.

“I thought that a beautiful CD case, a personal MP3 file sent by email, and maybe a student discount would be nice. I kept imagining very warm-hearted, knowledgeable, and reliable staff, but I kept reminding myself that there couldn’t possibly be a company that can do all of this. But there is, with Ravel Virtual Studios.“

Seho Young
ASCAP Foundation 2010 Morton Gould Young Composer Award honorable mention

“I wanted to thank you. I really appreciate all of your kindness and help with the recording of my symphony! I have listened to the recording and I can’t believe how good it sounds!”

Arielle Galler Rabinowitz
Composer

“The performance [of my ballet] sounds great! I am really happy with how it came out. The CDs are beautiful!”

Danielle Galler Rabinowitz
Composer

“Ravel Virtual Studios is an outstanding tool with which high school and college composers can showcase their talents. Their service is easy to use, and the staff are incredibly knowledgeable and professional.

“For the musically inclined high school student preparing college applications, Ravel Virtual Studios’ services are a must. Their work has already helped students’ applications stand out, leading to acceptance into the country’s top schools. I highly recommend Ravel Virtual Studios to my advisees interested in pursuing music composition at college and beyond.”

Edward Dugger
Director of College Counseling, Friends Academy

“The simulated performances of submitted notation files made possible by the research of Ron Artinian and Edmond Ho are remarkable. Unlike other formats, their realizations provide natural-sounding nuance not only by using premium sampled sound libraries taken from real performers, but also by tweaking individual lines on demand. The technology that they have developed is significant because it enables composers to experience timbral conceptions before laboring to copy the parts, before committing to the expense of rehearsals, and before subjecting audiences to aesthetically compromised orchestrations. I also believe their work may have the potential to enhance the study of performance.”

Dr. Eugene Narmour
E. J. Kahn Distinguished Professor of Music, University of Pennsylvania

“The demos sound fantastic—I particularly like your realization of Nuages. I think you are providing a great service to composers!”

Dr. Kevin J. Kelly
Assistant Professor of Music, Los Angeles City College

“I am absolutely amazed. You would never know that they are a series of samples. The phrasing, feel and ‘[human touch]’ are truly astounding... I look forward to many more unbelievable performances.”

Peter Hazzard
Choral Director, Lawrence Academy

“Ravel Virtual Studios recently produced a small piece of mine in a way I found thoroughly professional and convincing, and this for what seemed to me a very affordable price. I recommend it to those who cannot afford to hire the London Philharmonic!”

Hendrik van Oordt
Composer

“I recently contacted Ravel Virtual Studios to help with a very strict deadline for the submission of a portfolio. I received a quote, which seemed very fair, and a commitment from Ravel that the job would be completed in the time remaining before the due date. From the very start of my communications with Ravel Virtual Studios, I was impressed by their seriousness, professionalism and efficiency throughout the process. The person in charge of my project was very courteous and pleasant to deal with.

“This was my first attempt at writing for full orchestra, and I needed quite a lot of technical advice pertaining to the writing for specific instruments. I was treated patiently and provided with the answers to all of my queries. The job was finished and delivered a day earlier than the due date. I am extremely pleased with the end result. One can certainly appreciate the attention Ravel Virtual Studios has given to the finest of details.

“In light of what I mentioned above, I would like to highly recommend the services of Ravel Virtual Studios. They have gone beyond the call of duty in order to help me complete my assignment. I have made a point of mentioning my good experience to my colleagues and will continue to promote the name of Ravel Virtual Studios wherever I can, whenever I can.”

Micu Narunsky
Jazz and Classical Pianist & Composer

“The folks at Ravel Virtual Studios took a brilliant score and brought it to life. Their virtual performance of the music gave the film score a depth that I used to think only came from a live orchestra.”

Juan Francisco de la Guardia
Filmmaker

“Thanks to Ron Artinian and all of the folks at Ravel Virtual Studios for facilitating such a wonderful project. I was at my wit’s end in trying to find someone to transcribe and produce some bagpipe music, not a popular instrument today.

“When I approached Ron about ‘Twelve MacGregor Solos for Bagpipe,’ he was delighted. He ensured that the entire project met my expectations. Ron consulted and communicated with me throughout the project. They were very professional and the outcome was fantastic!

“The response of the family and MacGregor clan is that the music is amazing. I could not have achieved such a milestone without Ravel Virtual Studios and their dedication to music.”

Keith Gregg

“It sounds amazing! Absolutely amazing. You guys did such a wonderful job! It’s hard to believe I wrote it now. Thanks for everything! You guys were wonderful to work with and I look forward to doing it again in the future!”

Magen Miller
Composer & Founder, Dallas Artists Guild

“My first reaction to the virtual performance of my piece was simply, ‘Wow!’ The sound itself is really quite convincing—surprisingly so—but the musicality, the expressivity of the rendering was a revelation. ‘Wow,’ indeed! My piece came alive as if I were listening to a fine ‘live’ recording. This ‘performance’ was very compelling.

“Working with the Ravel Virtual Studios staff was easy and efficient. Editing and adjustments were accomplished quickly and with fine attention to detail. This marvelous service is a triumph of technology and art. The future is here and it is most welcome. I recommend Ravel Virtual Studios to all composers and arrangers.”

Dr. Gary Smart
Presidential Professor of Music, University of North Florida

“I was impressed by the audio samples on the Ravel Virtual Studios website, so I sent them the Finale score for my Reverie for small orchestra to find out what they could do with it. I was very pleased with the result. I was also impressed by their professionalism and their prompt and cheerful responses to all of my questions and requests.”

John Winsor
Composer-in-residence, Hardwick Chamber Ensemble

“When a choreographer in Spain told me she was interested in a piece I’d written, I wanted to send her a quality recording as soon as possible, and getting a live recording in just a few days wasn’t an option. So, I contacted Ravel Virtual Studios on a Thursday night for an estimate. By Monday, I was listening to the work they had already done and corresponding on small revisions. Not only was their price reasonable, but their speed and professionalism was commendable—and the result was that I was able to send the choreographer a quality recording in just a matter of days.”

Dan Cook
Composer

“Ravel Virtual Studios was excellent from the very beginning, Ron was quick to respond, addressed every one of my bizarre requests, and was very considerate and respectful of my music. I really appreciated the integrity that came with the studio, they were very honest with me about what would sound best considering their samples, and helped me make a decision accordingly.

Along with the great communication, RVS does an incredible job where it counts. Their samples sound INCREDIBLE! I was really worried to work with virtual instruments, but after one listen my worries were stamped. I would recommend RVS to any composer that wants legitimate sounding recordings for any reason. RVS is an excellent resource for any composer in todays world.

Some would think that using virtual instruments ends the need for real musicians, but they are overlooking the reality that composers don’t have an entire wind ensemble or orchestra at their disposal. Streaming recordings on the internet is one of the best ways for a composer to market themselves in todays electronic age, unfortunately Sibelius and Finale playback just doesn’t cut it. RVS is a tool that composers can use to help get their names out there, so their music can be played by real musicians, and be a part of the music community that is so special. I will definitely be using RVS again!”

Andrew Perdomo
Composer

“The attention to detail in every aspect of my compositions made these recordings better than I ever could have anticipated. Balance, dynamics, and tempo variations were all treated so sensitively. It’s clear that the work was done not just by digital sound technicians, but by excellent musicians.”

Dawn Sonntag,
Assistant Professor of Music, Hiram College

“Just wanted to say thank you so much for all your help and professionalism with the recording of Ari’s Fanfare for the opening ceremony of the 2011 Maccabi Games in Philadelphia. [Ari’s recording kicked off the ceremony on August 14th, 2011 and was announced by well-known sports commentator Michael Barkann].

“The recording was a great success and over 5,000 people heard it and were just thrilled by it. Some people said it ‘sounded like Aaron Copland’ and thought it was a ‘live’ recording.

“If any serious musicians read this and are looking for an alternative to a live performance but do not have the resources (as we did not as well), here is the perfect chance to record your music with as clear and live as you will ever get next to the real thing.

“We look forward to working with you again as Ari begins to apply to music conservatories and will need professional recordings of his compositions.”

Sharon Sussman
Mother of composer Ari Sussman

“Thank you guys so much for performing this piece for me and thanks for all of the work that you and your staff have committed to the project.”

Kennie Cook Jr.
Composer

Ravel Virtual Studios had the pleasure of recording Anna Larsen’s first symphony, which was specially recognized with this year’s Charlotte V. Bergen Award at the 2011 ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Awards. Anna is one of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation Young Scholars.

Anna’s father Nick says, “The symphony sounds great, we’re very excited about it. I really appreciate your efforts to help us meet this deadline. It’s been fantastic to see this year of work come to fruition with these recordings. Thanks for doing such a great job on it!”

Anna herself says, “You did a great job with it, and we are very happy with the result. I hope other people will see this and check out your website.”

Anna Larsen
Composer

“I am VERY impressed with the quality of this recording. The dynamics are wonderfully portrayed... it makes it sound human. Thank you so much!”

About the CDs for his project, Wesley says, “I was so impressed with the covers and everything. It really does show how much care you have for your customers.”

Wesley Meyer
Composer

“I work with high-end sample libraries every day so I’m not easily impressed by mere ‘realism’ in a virtual recording. What strikes me about about the RVS recording is how life-like it is. Ravel Virtual Studios treats these virtual instruments as if they are played by living, breathing musicians, and the recording sparkles with an energy approaching that of a live orchestral performance. It goes without saying that the recording sounds great, but I’m most astounded by its musicality. Their technical skills are matched by a masterful understanding of orchestration and a knack for bringing the nuances of a written score to life.”

Chris Bassett
Composer

Regarding the recording of composer Dan Lazarescou’s piece “Darker Night,” David says, “It’s AWESOME! [My wife] was in the other room and yelled out, ‘What movie are you watching?’ That’s the ultimate compliment, isn’t it?”

David Codron
Film and Television Producer/Editor, Los Angeles

“I trusted my graduate degree orchestral graduation project to Ravel Virtual Studios’ hands. The result turned out greater than I expected. The thing that impressed me, aside from their high competence, was their concern. It’s not just business for them, it’s personal. They treat your every remark with great carefulness and diligence.”

Davit Chkuaseli
Composer

“Thank you so much for the work you put into the Sonata and for getting it to me this early. The piece sounds wonderful! We burned the CD’s and sent them to the two schools that had deadlines. I’m sure I’ll be needing your services again in the future!”

When Mr. Pezzotti’s composition teacher heard Ravel Virtual Studios’ recording of his student’s piece, he remarked, “This sounds amazing! Nathan is going to be thrilled. When he gets into one of those top level schools, I’ll be sure to remind him to give credit where credit is due. I really think this recording might put him over the top. Bravo to Ravel Virtual Studios on such short notice!”

Nathan Pezzotti
Composer

“I am very grateful for the work you have done on my orchestral composition. It is magnificent. It is amazing to think it is not a real orchestra. Being my first time composing an orchestral piece, you have given me a renewed sense of composition, and I appreciate that. I appreciate your talents, your advice your input and your flexibility. You did it earlier than expected and with a quality only second to a real world-class orchestra. I just had to show it off and got great reviews from other musicians I associate with.

“Thank you so much for your help and I hope to work with you in the near future, once again.”

Andres Paredes
Composer