SUNY Potsdam to Welcome Back Acclaimed Sound Mixer David E. Fluhr (Hon. ’79) for ‘The Sound of Disney Animation’ Talk on April 23
David Fluhr (Hon. ’79) will lead a free surround-sound experience, “The Sound of Disney Animation,” at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music on Thursday, April 23 at 6 p.m., in the Helen M. Hosmer Concert Hall.
Fresh off receiving his Honorary Doctor of Music degree from The State University of New York at Potsdam, acclaimed sound mixer David E. Fluhr (Hon. ’79) will return to his alma mater for a one-night-only event, “The Sound of Disney Animation.”
The Crane School of Music alumnus will visit campus to share highlights from his work and discuss his path from SUNY Potsdam into the world of cinema and television. Fluhr has contributed to every Walt Disney Animation Studios feature since “Chicken Little” in 2004—helping define the sonic and emotional landscape of beloved films, including “Frozen,” “Moana,” “Encanto,” “Wreck-It Ralph” and “Zootopia.”
“The Sound of Disney Animation” will be presented on Thursday, April 23 at 6 p.m., in the Helen M. Hosmer Concert Hall at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music. This event is free and open to the public, and a reception with light refreshments will follow.
Families and audiences of all ages are invited to join for this immersive surround-sound experience. All are welcome to sing along during this interactive experience, while learning more about the iconic sounds and music from your favorite Disney Animation films!
While walk-ins will be welcomed at the door, guests are asked to reserve tickets in advance to help the campus prepare for the expected audience size.
Reserve free tickets online: "The Sound of Disney Animation" with David Fluhr '79
About David Fluhr:
Fluhr has mixed most all genres of television, film and music during his career, and has been mixing for Walt Disney Animation Studios since 2004. He developed and implemented Disney Animation’s proprietary Dolby Atmos post-production workflows, and the custom worldwide foreign language dubbing workflow. He is a former two-term Governor of the Sound Branch of the Television Academy, a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Sound Branch, and a former two-term president of the Cinema Audio Society, for which he has been a board member since 1986. He has earned multiple Emmys and Cinema Audio Society awards, amongst dozens more nominations and other sound recognitions.
Fluhr was presented with an honorary doctorate from the State University of New York in a private ceremony on Jan. 21 held at the Burny Mattinson Theater at Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, Calif. Family, colleagues, alumni and friends from SUNY Potsdam and Disney Animation gathered to celebrate his exceptional four decade career shaping the sound of some of the world’s most beloved films.
Speaking at the ceremony, Clark Spencer, President of Walt Disney Animation Studios, emphasized Fluhr’s rare combination of technical mastery and emotional intuition.
“David Fluhr is a maestro at the mixing stage, where he has to bring together the score, the sound design, and the vocal performance to create a timeless story,” Spencer said. “And that's what David does so beautifully. He figures out how to navigate all those personalities, all those egos, all those things, because he's always thinking at the core, what's the story? What's the character feeling? What is the emotion or the thought I want the audience to have when they experience this movie in a movie theater?”
Before conferring Fluhr with his honorary degree, SUNY Potsdam President Dr. Suzanne R. Smith spoke about how meaningful it was to honor an alumnus whose work has shaped the soundtracks of so many lives—including her own. A lifelong Disney fan, she shared how she “spontaneously burst into song” the first time she visited the sound stage with him.
“By the end of the song, we were both up dancing and singing. It was one of the most joyous moments I’ve ever had in my life. But it wasn’t joyous just for me. It was for you, too—because you have the gift of loving what you do, and that is very special,” Smith said. “As president of SUNY Potsdam, I am honored that your story began at The Crane School of Music, where you discovered that sound can be both a musical and a technical art, and that doing something you love every day is a possibility. As a professional and as a person, you embody the principles that guide the State University of New York: to learn, to search and to serve.”
David Fluhr (Hon. ’79) receives his honorary Doctor of Music degree from SUNY Potsdam President Dr. Suzanne R. Smith, during a special ceremony held at the Burny Mattinson Theater at Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, Calif.
After receiving the doctoral hood and diploma, Dr. David Fluhr offered moving remarks about mentorship, persistence and the people who shaped his path.
“What this journey has shown me is that my growth was never a solo effort. Standing here today is truly, deeply humbling—not because of what I’ve done, but because of the incredible mentors and collaborators who saw possibility in that kid running coffee. It's especially meaningful for me to accept this honor here at Disney Animation, which has been my creative home since 2004, a place where we, as a team, have been given a platform to advance the art and craft of sound and music,” he said.
He also reflected on the weight and responsibility of creative work.
“Along the way, I discovered that creativity doesn't reward certainty. It rewards persistence, perseverance and listening. It rewards the collaboration. Creativity also carries responsibility. Sound and music shape emotional memory. They linger. They matter. Whether in live action or animation, whether noticed or invisible, our work becomes part of how people feel, remember and connect,” Fluhr said.
Fluhr’s Potsdam talk is a LoKo Arts project, made possible by the generosity and artistic vision of Kathryn (Kofoed) Lougheed ’54 and Donald Lougheed (Hon. ’54).
About SUNY Potsdam:
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.
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