Berklee NYC Collaborates with Focusrite

New York, NY (December 12, 2024)—Berklee NYC has integrated Focusrite AoIP equipment into its programs, expanding its relationship with the brand.

Daniel Pembroke, chair of live music production and design and director of academic technology at Berklee NYC, explains, “Our collaboration with Focusrite has evolved as our graduate programs have grown. Our focus is on creating environments where students gain hands-on experience with professional audio interfaces, immersive mixing and playback systems that they’ll use in the field. With Focusrite, we’re ensuring our students learn not only the technical skills but also best practices in latency reduction, signal flow and digital over-network audio transmission.”

Through the collaboration, Berklee NYC is offering students access to tools used in professional live sound and recording environments, preparing them for real-world careers in the evolving music and live production industries. Berklee NYC is the Berklee College of Music’s New York City campus, housed in the historic Power Station recording studio located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan on West 53rd Street.

In the fourth year of Berklee NYC’s graduate programs, the Focusrite collaboration has resulted in the integration of RedNet audio-over-IP interfaces, Red 16Line interfaces, and PCIeNX cards throughout the campus. From Dante-enabled DiGiCo consoles and Yamaha mixers to Waves plug-ins and Ableton Live playback systems, students have access to a toolkit reflective of the professional music production and live sound industry.

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Pembroke emphasizes the importance of these tools: “Our students learn using products like the RedNet PCIeNX cards that provide ultra-low latency and high channel counts—features critical to achieving seamless live production in modern setups. From reducing latency for on-stage performers to implementing Dante networks across our entire campus, these experiences ensure our graduates are proficient with the technologies they’ll encounter on major tours, festivals and studio sessions.”

With the recent campus-wide implementation of Dante networks and Focusrite RedNet technology, Berklee NYC now supports fully networked audio across its performance spaces and studios. This setup allows students to connect between performance and studio environments, learning how to build playback rigs, integrate analog gear, and manage large-scale, networked audio systems. The Dante infrastructure lets them work with in-ear monitors, front-of-house setups, and live broadcast streaming.