NYU and Sony Celebrate the Sony Audio Institute at a Dedication in Brooklyn

President Linda G. Mills and Sony executives unveiled a plaque recognizing the ongoing support from Sony for the initiative.

Leaders of NYU and Sony joined students and faculty to dedicate the Sony Audio Institute, a new initiative at the intersection of music, business, and technology. Photo by Ben Ouriel/NYU

New York University's Sony Audio Institute hosted a dedication ceremony on February 3 to mark the official renaming of the Sony Audio Institute Studio in recognition of Sony’s generous contribution to the Sony Audio Institute, established last year by NYU and the Sony Corporation’s Personal Entertainment Business’ US operation.

NYU senior leadership, students, and faculty from the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, Sony executives, and producer and inaugural Sony Audio Institute Artist-in-Residence Alissia gathered at 370 Jay St. in Brooklyn to recognize the Institute’s research, scholarships, and hands-on learning opportunities that will prepare students for the rapidly changing music industry.

The Sony Audio Institute also announced that Grammy Award winner Jacob Collier will be its next Artist-in-Residence, providing mentorship, creative guidance, and real-world perspective on modern music-making. The British artist, who has collaborated with Coldplay, SZA, Stormzy, Anoushka Shankar, Shawn Mendes, and Joni Mitchell, represents the perfect combination of artistic imagination and technical curiosity, explains Larry Miller, the Institute’s executive director.

By launching the Sony Audio Institute, we’re honoring a shared legacy of building something extraordinary out of a passion for discovery, for elevating culture, and for connection.

NYU President Linda G. Mills

“Today, we come together to celebrate the joining of global powerhouses—Sony and NYU—two world-renowned organizations that, for decades, have been at the vanguard of music, technology, and innovation,” President Linda G. Mills said. “By launching the Sony Audio Institute, we’re honoring a shared legacy of building something extraordinary out of a passion for discovery, for elevating culture, and for connection."

The ceremony was followed by a tour of the studio and its state-of-the-art technology, a performance by student musicians, and student presentations tied to a semester-long project.

Hiroshi Nakamura, senior vice president of Sony Corporation, said the institute “reflects a shared commitment to investing in the next generation—not just as users of technology, but as the people who will help shape what comes next at the intersection of music and technology.”

“The goal is to make high-quality monitoring and immersive workflows less of a barrier, so more students can experiment, iterate, and build confidence in their skills,” added Jun Makino, vice president of Sony Corporation of America's Personal Entertainment Business.

NYU’s Sony Audio Institute will foster programs, hands-on workshops, listening sessions, and other educational opportunities using Sony technology, including 360 Reality Audio and 360 Virtual Mixing Environment, along with MDR-MV1 open-back headphones. The technology allows immersive listening and mixing experiences that replicate a professional studio.

Miller explained how the Institute supports student learning and academic research by providing the tools for artistic creation and experimentation.

“The future of music and audio technology will be shaped right here at NYU by the students, faculty, and industry partners who are part of the Sony Audio Institute. That's an extraordinary thing to be able to say, and it's only possible because of relationships like this one," said Jack H. Knott, the Gale and Ira Drukier Dean of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.

The Sony Audio Institute also supports the work of Steinhardt’s Music and Audio Research Lab (MARL), an interdisciplinary center that fosters investigations connecting sound and music to a broad range of fields, including artificial intelligence, medicine, and neuroimaging.