Olivia Quan Award for Audio Excellence

A message from her loved ones:

Olivia Quan was a music producer and audio engineer from Vancouver, B.C. who passed away unexpectedly on July 1, 2022 at the age of only 25. Although she had already accomplished so much in her short lifetime, there is no doubt there was an incredible journey unfolding ahead of her. She was traveling a road that few before her had ventured down. Being a young woman of colour in a male dominated profession she was tearing down walls, brick by brick, in her quietly determined manner, clearing a path for herself and for others who might follow. She was light years ahead of where she should have been at her age and can only be described as a rising star of Vancouver’s recording scene.

Her career in audio engineering began after she graduated from recording school. She trained at Monarch Studios in Vancouver, and after only a few short years became one of the most in-demand engineers in the city.  Her technical abilities would be impressive on their own – attending the 2022 Juno Awards with three projects she worked on nominated – but Olivia also had an incredible gift for connecting with the artists, making them comfortable and helping them capture amazing performances. She even returned to piano lessons as a young adult and was teaching herself guitar, in order to better understand the instruments she was recording and therefore create better recordings for her artists.  She always pushed herself to be better and work harder.  Olivia also went out of her way volunteering her time to teach training engineers and was a mentor and shining example of what is possible when you dedicate yourself to your craft.

She is remembered by all who knew her as an incredibly talented, driven and innovative young woman who was not only praised for her talents in the recording studio but who was also a compassionate and empathetic human being, giving generously of her time, her knowledge and her love.  In addition to her love of music, Olivia was a steward of our environment, a loyal friend to the animal kingdom, an avid reader of all genres and an advocate for the underdog.  She lived her life with intention and integrity.  When people spoke about Olivia, the following words were used to describe her again and again:

 

* Talented * Driven * Dedicated * Kind * Compassionate * Empathetic * Respectful *

 

Despite having a hectic schedule, Olivia always made time for those she loved. Friends and family were of paramount importance.  Her infectious laugh and warm energy lifted people instantly.  She lives on through the music she helped create, and in the hearts of those that knew her.  There is no doubt that she would be humbled by this award and would be honoured to know that she was somehow instrumental in assisting another person achieve their goals.

 

The family, close friends and colleagues of Olivia would like to thank all the applicants for your interest and for taking the time to learn about Olivia and her incredible life.

About the fund:

Olivia’s Family and Friends wanted to honour Olivia by carrying on the work she started and allow future generations of young entrepreneurs pursuing a career in audio to learn from and be inspired by Olivia. The family started this fund that has now raised over $50k in honour of Olivia. If you are interested in learning more about the fund or donating, you can do so here.

Within 6-8 weeks of the deadline, Olivia’s family and close friends will review the submissions and select one (1) applicant to be awarded $5000/per year.  The successful 2023 recipient will be notified by the family through email.

Submit Your Application Below

Please read over the eligibility and criteria below. Deadline to submit is Friday April 14th, 2023 (5pm PST).

Criteria:

• Embody the characteristics that made Olivia so exceptional

• Open to applicants aged 25 or under

• Have demonstrated hard work and dedication to the mastery of audio

• Have a clear idea of their goals and how they want to achieve them

• May have obstacles in their way that this award could help reduce

• Extra consideration given to women and under-represented groups in the industry, but does not exclude any worthy recipients

Eligible uses of funding include:

• Scholarship towards audio education and mentorship

• Cost of living expenses while pursuing an audio internship or apprenticeship

• Equipment purchases that would allow one to advance their career

• Travel expenses and/or registration to attend audio training events or workshops