Gilbert, Ariz., March 12, 2026 – Kendrick Lamar might want to thank the universe Hannah Kacmarsky chose a career in pro audio rather than psychology.
Growing up in Sunnyvale, Calif. as the oldest child to parents who are both software engineers, Kacmarsky certainly has the genetics, intelligence, and drive to become anything she wanted. From a very early age, Kacmarsky’s love of music stemmed from her mother, who had paid her way through college as a gig drummer before entering the world of technology. In her teen years, Kacmarsky’s path would become similar to her mother’s, whereas music would not be the road ultimately taken. That changed after entering college and then The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS).
“I got my first taste of playing music in middle school, where I joined the school concert band and played the trombone,” Kacmarsky explained, now 30 years old. “I played trombone all through middle school, but switched to euphonium once I got to high school. In addition to euphonium, I also performed in the school’s marching band, playing both baritone and trumpet. Alongside my involvement in music at school, I also started playing guitar and writing songs at the age of 14. When I went to college as a pre-med psychology major, I stopped playing any brass instruments, but still wrote songs and started learning how to use Logic as my first DAW. My pre-med education came to an end when I decided it wasn’t quite what I wanted to do with my career.”
Kacmarsky moved back home, pivoting to electrical engineering and taking some relevant courses at a local community college. While at community college, she also took a class entitled “Intro to Audio Engineering.” The class centered on learning Pro Tools and recording/producing in the box, and so by the end of the class, the instructor told advised Kacmarsky that she “would be a fool not to do audio.”
“That advice altered my path, and so I changed my major to Music Technology, and a few months later was working as an engineer/assistant at the studio on campus,” she said. “My mentor at the community college told me that getting a music degree wasn’t a good move because of the debt and specific difficulties that come with choosing such a specialized path. I heard about CRAS through the extensive research I did when I was coming to the end of my Music Tech Associate’s degree program.”
Kacmarsky quickly realized that CRAS offered her a way to get the education she needed without having to commit to something that might not help the way she would need in the long run.
“What really made me decide to attend was the CRAS Internship Program,” she continued. “The fact that there was a concrete path to follow that led to employment felt promising…and it was.”
Upon graduating CRAS in 2018, Kacmarsky interned at Bedrock Studios in Echo Park, Calif. From there, her first paid professional job was as a runner at Westlake Studios in West Hollywood, Calif.
“It was a wild adjustment to make, being around such high-level clients,” Kacmarsky said. “My studio etiquette training helped me a lot in navigating that. From there I moved on to EastWest Studios in Los Angeles, where I was a runner for a while until becoming an assistant engineer. After about two years, EastWest recommended me for an assisting/engineering position at Evergreen Studios in Burbank, Calif., which is where I am currently employed.”
Recording and mixing engineer Frank Wolf said that he has known and worked with Kacmarsky for more than three years, and is most taken by her ability to use tried and true recording techniques, while also being adventurous and inquisitive with trying new things.
“She doesn’t bring her ego when she is assisting or running Pro Tools, while being an artist in her own right,” Wolf added. “From the very first time I met her when at Evergreen Studios and she was running Pro Tools, it wasn’t apparent to me that it was her maiden voyage on an official session. Since that time, we have worked together in many capacities and we have been friends ever since.”
Now, Kacmarsky can boast a resume that includes an engineering credit on Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy-winning album “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers”. She also credits working with Jennifer Hudson as helping develop the vision needed to accomplish anything.
“Jennifer (Hudson) has such an inspiring nature, and working with her helped me reconnect to a deeper level of my spiritual self, as well,” she said. “So much so that I now have a tattoo of one of her inspiring catch-phrases, ‘You betta sing’ ”.
However, Kacmarsky said the most meaningful session she had was actually a scoring session for an audiobook of all things. “It seems simple, but with a whole orchestra/choir involved, the music was some of the most inspiring I’ve ever worked on. Never before, or since, have I cried from being so moved by something I had the pleasure of recording.”
But, how did she get here? Above all, Kacmarsky knew that she wanted to work on “big” things, whether that was in music or post. After the 7th Cycle Post curriculum at CRAS, she found that she really loved recording orchestral ensembles/elements and wanted to pursue that avenue.
“The in-depth knowledge of audio signal flow that is ingrained from the CRAS curriculum, as well as the helpful perspectives and lessons given on how to behave in various studio environments, taught me how to not only learn whatever I needed to learn and how to break down complex problems in an efficient manner, it also showed me the work ethic and perseverance it takes to be successful in any audio industry,” Kacmarsky continued. “Reflecting back on my experience at CRAS and how it helped shape my career makes me feel as a standout amongst my peers who went through other audio programs.”
The biggest thing Kacmarsky said she’s learned is that if you want it, go get it, and don’t stop until you do. “My advice to CRAS students is Never. Stop. Learning. There is always something new…new techniques, new gear, new plug-ins. Knowledge is the most powerful tool anyone can have.”
About The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences
The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences is composed of two nearby campuses in Gilbert and Tempe, Ariz. A CRAS education includes broadcast audio, live sound, film and TV audio, music, and video game audio, all taught by award-winning instructors who have all excelled in their individual fields, including sound reinforcement, audio recording and production, digital recording, troubleshooting/maintenance, and music business.
CRAS structured programs and highly qualified teaching staff provide a professional and supportive atmosphere, which is complemented by its small class sizes allowing for individual instruction and assistance for students in engineering audio recordings. CRAS has been providing quality vocational training in audio recording for more than three decades. The curriculum and equipment are constantly being updated to keep pace with the rapid advancements in the music and sound recording industries. CRAS’ course offerings and subject matter have always centered around the skills and knowledge necessary for students’ success in the audio recording industries.
The 11-month program is designed to allow every student access to learn and train in all of the Conservatory’s studios which are comprised with state-of-the-art audio recording and mixing gear, the same equipment used in today’s finest studios and remote broadcast facilities, including Pro Tools 12, API Legacy consoles, SSL AWS consoles, Studer Vista consoles, and much more. All students must complete a 280-hour industry internship to graduate from the Master Recording Program II that may ultimately lead to industry employment.
For more information on the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences, please visit www.cras.edu, contact Kirt Hamm, administrator, at 1-800-562-6383, or email to [email protected].
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