New Recording Studio Opens at BCC

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) recently completed construction of a new recording studio in the Koussevitzky Arts Center.
 
"The studio was a long time coming. It's an amazing space that will transform the Music Production Certificate program, the college as a whole, and the community," said Ellen Cooper Shanahan, Professor of Music and Department Chair, Fine & Performing Arts. "It will support the training of future and current professional musicians in the Berkshires." Shanahan explained that the studio will eventually be available for use by members of the public.
 
BCC is in the planning stages of building a curriculum around the new studio, including credit and non-credit courses and workshops. A new certificate program, similar to the Music Production Certificate, will equip students to work in home studios, professional settings or prepare to transfer to four-year recording programs.
 
Measuring approximately 50 x 30 feet, the studio is "large enough to accommodate a choir or a big band, yet intimate enough for small group recordings," said Jeffrey Link, Adjunct Faculty, Music.
 
Equipment in the new space includes:
  • A 27-inch Apple iMac loaded with ProTools, the industry standard recording program used worldwide
  • A state-of-the-art Midas 32-channel mixing board, which integrates with ProTools
  • A full array of professional microphones and stands
  • Seven Behringer powerplay personal mixers, used by artists while recording
  • A full set of studio monitors for mix-down and playback
  • Several instruments, including a Yamaha MX88 keyboard, Roland guitar amps and a GK bass amp

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Lanesborough Hopes for Continued Talks on Mall Sale

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Select Board is optimistic that talks for the Berkshire Mall sale will continue. 
 
Chair Deborah Maynard and Vice Chair Juli Baker were to meet with mall owner JMJ Holdings, the Baker Hill Road District, and proposed buyer Cypress Equities on Tuesday to discuss next steps. As of Wednesday, iBerkshires had received a "we are optimistic" from Maynard on the talks. The Berkshire Eagle reported a response from a Cypress representative saying talks will continue.  
 
Baker had updated the Select Board on Monday about the status of the sale and the efforts being undertaken by the renamed Baker Hill Business District.
 
Cypress Equities pulled out of a purchase-and sale-agreement with mall owner JMJ last week for the following reasons. 
  • Not enough water service/pressure to the property to support redevelopment without constructing costly water tanks.
  • The current septic system and former treatment facility is not acceptable for a project of the scale and magnitude proposed.
  • There is existing asbestos and bad soil from the treatment system that needs to be remediated off site.
  • And the current structure and tax assessment of the Baker Hill Road District.
Baker has been working with what is now being called the Baker Hill Business District and said she and the district members are happy that Cypress has decided to leave the door open to more discussions and that they have been working hard to try and address the company's needs.
 
Last month, the town had asked state Sen. Paul Mark and state Rep. John Barrett III to support the state Department of Transportation taking over the Connector Road, funding for a mall connection to Pittsfield's wastewater treatment plant and a connection to the town's water main.
 
Baker said an amendment has been drafted to cap the district's taxes to not grow more than 2.5 percent a year. She noted that, historically, taxes have not grown by more than one percent per year, so it won't be difficult to meet that cap.
 
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