Gathering around equipment and musical instruments donated to the Music Industry program are faculty members Armand Petri and Stuart Shapiro, two of the donors, and students in the program (from left): Jordan Rahick, Kathleen Fischer, Miranda Tubinis, Sophia Auteri, Brandon Jones, Owen Doran, Lucas Seeley, Matthew Gillespie and Aaron Fern. Not pictured is donor Dr. Linda Hall.
Real world experience offered in Fredonia’s Music Industry program has been raised a few notches, thanks to donations of professional-grade equipment and musical instruments by three faculty members in the School of Business.
Students enrolled in MUSB 470 Live Sound and Touring now have full use of a 24-channel live sound board, two turntables and assorted microphones, amps and accessories used by disc jockeys, as well as an acoustic guitar, upright piano and drum kit. Total value of the donations exceeds $10,000.
“This will give students the opportunity for hands-on practical learning,” said Armand Petri, Music Industry coordinator and one of the donors. The equipment and instruments bring a new applied learning experience to the program to supplement the classroom theory component.
Most of the items donated by Mr. Petri are new, but some of the equipment was used to record the Goo Goo Dolls and 10,000 Maniacs for their national releases.
Also donating items were Music Industry Assistant Professor Stuart Shapiro and Interim Director Linda Hall, both of the School of Business. Equipment and instruments are housed in Thompson Hall so they’re readily accessible by students.
“The equipment will also be used by students to perform and build a community of musicians and musical events on campus,” Petri added. Guest speakers can now be more easily accommodated.
“We want to develop a community of performance that includes all genres of music, including hip-hop and rap,” Petri said.
Housed in the School of Business, Fredonia’s Music Industry program enrolls about 150 students and is the only program in SUNY that offers a Bachelor of Science in Music Industry and has its own student record label. Mr. Shapiro and Petri are among its faculty who bring extensive work experience in the music field to the program.
