MICHAEL KOLAR
From brain to speaker, Michael Kolar has been guiding the vision of talented artists for over twenty-seven years. Raised in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, he developed an ear for music at the age of seven, landed an internship at Bzipp Studios at fifteen, and had set up his own home studio by seventeen. At twenty-two, Michael was on the road with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, learning artist relations and logistics while simultaneously handling audio engineering duties. After time on the road, he returned to his hometown to hone his craft and complete his bachelor’s degree in Recording Arts & Sciences at Columbia College Chicago. Upon graduation, his focus switched fully to his Chicago studio, and he began recording albums for some of the world’s most distinct artists for decades to come.
While always called Soundscape Studios, what began as a small production studio in the corner of the garage of his family home eventually grew into a large multi-room recording studio. Michael Kolar has worked on albums for artists including Action Bronson, FKA Twigs, Raekwon, Jamila Woods, Zayn Malik, M.I.A, Chance The Rapper, Curren$y, Ludacris, 2 Chainz, Naked Raygun, Wyclef Jean, Talib Kweli, Chingy and many others. He formerly served three terms as vice president of the Engineering & Recording Society, is currently a voting member of The Grammy’s, as well as a NAMM and A.E.S member. Michael’s work boasts a combined total of over one billion streams with 7 R.I.A.A. certified gold/platinum/double platinum albums to his credit. In addition to his engineering work, Michael co-founded Closed Sessions in 2009, a Chicago-based incubator, record label, and artist management company, and has toured multiple times internationally, managing an array of marquee artists.
Never one to be content with business-as-usual, and feeling ready to step back, reflect and re-align, Michael sold his stake in Closed Sessions in 2022 – and after twenty-six years, sold his studio compound on Chicago Ave to fellow Chicagoan Chris Classick to expand his Classick Studios footrprint. Leaving the space in capable hands helped to continue Michael’s legacy of fortifying Chicago’s music scene, allowing future generations to experience what it’s truly like to record in an old school, custom built temple of sound.
Though on a sabbatical in 2023, after 26 years of non-stop industry work, Michael Kolar still believes life is better fully soundproofed, and of course: “really loud music fucking rules.”
EDUCATION
Columbia College Chicago: Bachelor Of Arts, Audio Arts & Acoustics, June 2002
AFFILIATIONS
Voting Member Since 2010: The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (The Recording Academy)
Professional Member: The Engineering And Recording Society of Chicago (EARS)
Member: Audio Engineering Society (AES)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Co-founder: Closed Sessions, 2009
Vice President: Engineering and Recording Society of Chicago (EARS), 2007-2009
Tour Assistant + Sound Engineer: George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, 2001-2002
Founder + Head Engineer: Soundscape Recording Studios, 1997
Professional Advisory Committee Member: SAE Institute 2017-2023
AWARDS + ACCOLADES
Michael Kolar has garnered over 1 billion streams worldwide of his recordings and mixes
SAE Institute: "Production Specialist of the Year”, 2019
Chingy: "Powerballin", Platinum RIAA album sales award
Chingy: "Hoodstar", Gold RIAA album sales award
Ludacris: "Georgia", Gold RIAA single sales award
Ludacris: "Red Light District", 2x Multi-Platinum album RIAA sales award
Ludacris: "Presents Disturbing tha Peace", Gold RIAA album sales award
Ludacris: "Release Therapy", Platinum RIAA Album sales award
IN THE NEWS
Chicago Reader: "Classick Studios expands into the Soundscape space" - 2023
InsideHook: "What Will Chicago’s Music Scene Look Like After Coronavirus?", 2020
Vice: "Coronavirus Has Left Recording Studios in Limbo", 2020
ABC7 News: “Chicago recording studio helps local musicians create music, make money amid COVID-19”, 2020
Michigan Avenue Magazine: “Insider Info”, 2020
Fox 32 Chicago: “Sonic Summit 2020 teaches professional recording for audiophiles of all levels”, 2020
WGN TV: “Around Town visits Soundscape Studios to talk about Sonic Summit: 2020”, 2020
WCIU: “Inside the world of music”, 2020
Sophisticated Living Magazine: “Mark Your Calendar”, 2020
Dynasty Podcasts: “Chicagoverse - Michael Kolar (Soundscape Studios)”, 2020
Mild Sauce: “Mild Sauce Live with Mike Kolar of Soundscape Studios”, 2020
Consequence of Sound: "The Come Up: Closed Sessions", 2018
Chicago Tribune: “Chicago Artists of the Year”, 2016
Forbes Magazine: “Closed Sessions: The Independent Record Label Restoring Chicago Hip-Hop“, 2016
Chicago Tribune: "Chicago's Closed Session opens hip-hop doors", 2016
Redeye Chicago: "Where stars are born", 2014
dailymotion: “Curren$y's Intimate Studio Session in The Windy City- On The Road”, 2013
Chicago Reader: "Closed Sessions opens up Chicago hip-hop", 2012
SPEAKING + PRESENTATIONS
Lab Host + Presenter: Chicago Ideas, Chicago Ideas Week, 2019
Speaker: Career Day, Golder College Prep, 2019
Presenter/Speaker: “MONDAYS”, Gensler Chicago, October 2019
Presenter/Speaker: Apple Talk for Apple Music Month, Apple Michigan Avenue, October 2015
Substitute Faculty: Columbia College Chicago
GrammyU: Various events over the years focused on the needs of the students