'91 grad worked on Grammy-nominated albums
 Anthony Casuccio, '91 |
Anthony Casuccio, a 1991 graduate of SUNY Fredonia who operates his own audio recording studio in Buffalo and has worked with major record labels for over 14 years, played a key role in the recording of two albums that have been formally honored with Grammy award nominations.
“Louisiana – A Pianist’s Journey,” by Kenneth Boulton, was nominated for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra), and “30 Songs of the Russian People,” by Joseph Banowetz and Alton Chung Ming Chan, was nominated for Best Chamber Music. As the mastering engineer, Mr. Casuccio applied the final polish to these acclaimed recordings.
“To have one album being recognized by the academy is incredible, but having two is absolutely amazing,” said Mr. Casuccio, who has a bachelor’s in Sound Recording Technology and is the principal sound engineer of Xtream Audio Mastering, a firm he founded in 2001 while living in California and relocated to Buffalo in 2004.
Both albums were produced by the celebrated producer/restoration engineering team of Victor and Marina Ledin. Mr. Casuccio has assisted the duo on many recordings, including “Night Breeze,” by Sarah Schuster Ericsson, which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra) in 2005.
Grammy awards are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the recording industry. The awards ceremony will be held Feb. 11 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Fittingly known as “Toneman” by his Fredonia classmates, Mr. Casuccio began his career as a producer in New York City with the Reader’s Digest record label, the largest independent label in the world. Over the next nine years, he mastered projects for dozens of major recording companies, remixing and remastering more than 400 albums by legendary performers that included Tony Bennett, Roy Orbison, Linda Ronstandt, Glenn Miller and Johnny Cash.
He moved to San Francisco to direct the audio production department at Sony Music Company, where he engineered and produced live music mixes for its Backstage show. He also served on the Board of Governors for the San Francisco chapter of the Recording Academy and was elected 2nd Vice President.
A graduate of Williamsville East High School, Mr. Casuccio returned to Western New York State in 2004. In addition to operating his recording studio and working with clients throughout the country, he also teaches sound recording technology at Villa Maria College, serves as vice president of the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame and remains actively engaged with the Grammy organization.
