Music Production and Engineering

James Donahue

Associate Professor

Affiliated Departments

Music Production and Engineering (MP&E)

acoustics

jdonahue@berklee.edu

617-747-6940

Whiskey Lane Productions

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James Donahue is a Grammy-nominated audio engineer with experience in all phases of music production and performance. He has collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Aerosmith, Julia Child, Kermit the Frog, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Handel and Haydn Society.

Donahue’s professional interests have been focused on exploring and developing innovative concepts within the disciplines of immersive technology, broadcast media, and entertainment.

Courses Taught (4)

Audio Technology 1

MP-211

Audio Technology 2

MP-212

Critical Listening Lab

MP-214

Orchestral Recording Techniques for Film Scoring

MP-436

Career Highlights

Chief technology officer for Whiskey Lane Productions, West Roxbury, Massachusetts
Artistic advisor for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra
Innovator for USC’s Immersive Media Systems Center
Senior engineer and music producer for WGBH
Avid certified professional in Protools and Dolby Atmos
Member of the Audio Engineering Society
Voting member of the Recording Academy’s Grammy Foundation

Awards

Grammy nomination, “My Last Go Round” by Rosalie Sorrels
Don Wilkins Excellence in Curriculum Development
Best of Berklee Since 1945

Education

B.A., Ithaca College
M.S., USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy

In Their Own Words

I want my students to be curious about everything and to quickly get beyond the intimidation of the equipment in order to reveal the artist within. Berklee is a great place to experiment and to learn. I’m excited about teaching the talented and diverse group of men and women that Berklee attracts from around the world. The faculty is incredibly generous, and I’m inspired by all they do. The facilities are also amazing. I love being able to record and teach in an analog studio one day and then the next teach and mix in a contemporary digital palace. It is a fantastic environment in which to make music.

Part of my job is to open doors and introduce students to new ideas and situations. I have a strong classical music background, but have also spent years recording and broadcasting everything from Aerosmith to Zemlinsky. I also worked with Julia Child and Kermit the Frog while at PBS and spent 23 years as the broadcast engineer for the Boston Symphony Orchestra. It’s nice to be able to walk students down to Symphony Hall and introduce them to an amazing orchestra in a beautiful venue or talk about my experiences recording and broadcasting with an eclectic array of musicians. Presenting real-life examples helps to cement what is learned in class.

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James Donahue