One studio, directed by Sam Pluta, is focused on classical composition, sound design, and interactive performance. The studio offers students an opportunity to work with state-of-the-art equipment and to acquire the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to succeed in a professional or academic environment. The studio includes an iMac with MOTU Interface, high end Genelec speakers, Reaper mixing software, Max/MSP, and SuperCollider, as well as other software and hardware for composing, working with sound, and designing instruments for performance.
Another studio provides students enrolled in Performing With Electronics experience in performing with technology under the guidance of Todd Reynolds. This work gives them access to an increasingly important body of repertoire represented by such composers as Mari Kimura, Morton Subotnick, Ingram Marshall, Mario Davidovsky, Scott Johnson, Diego Luzuriaga, Anna Clyne, Chris Chaffe, Steve Reich, Alvin Lucier and John Cage. This facility allows students to explore current developments in music that involve electronics and computers with the most up-to-date music software systems, in addition to realizing older works using newer technology. It provides a basic, practical workshop for preparing pieces in the repertoire that involve electronics and a space to practice and rehearse with the equipment needed for each project. This space has been specifically designed for the School by Sam Berkow of the acoustical firm SIA Acoustics. The studio is Macintosh-based and is Max/MSP friendly.
Two additional studios, including the Jean Lignel Electronic Music Studio*, are directed by Richard Sussman and focus on providing performance and compositional tools applicable to jazz, commercial music, and scoring for film and TV, as well as purely creative projects. The emphasis is on MIDI and digital audio recording, sound design, multitrack recording and production techniques, use of samplers and virtual instruments, and techniques for scoring to picture. Each studio contains two work stations with Macintosh G4 or G5 dual processor computers; sequencing software; Pro Tools HD systems; and the latest in multiple keyboards and samplers, including Gigastudio, Korg Tritons, Roland S760, Roland JV-2080s, Proteus 2000, Akai S6000, Kurzweill K2500, Tascam DA88, and Spectrasonics and Korg virtual instruments.
Students registered in related courses are allowed to schedule individual studio lab time when available.
*Established through the generous gift of Jean Lignel (Class of 2000), the school’s newest electronic music facility was dedicated in 2004. Mr. Lignel donated state-of-the-art electronic recording equipment as well as funding to create an electronic music studio, expanding the School’s resources for students planning to pursue training in contemporary electronic music recording and production techniques.