Now Recording: Future Stars

New York City has cradled many of the world’s most iconic and accomplished musicians. This prodigious group of A-list artists are globally renowned – Billy Joel, Jay-Z, Madonna, The Ramones, Lady Gaga, Ella Fitzgerald, Notorious B.I.G., Neil Diamond, Simon and Garfunkel, Steven Tyler, Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige, to name a few.

Building upon decades of excellence in music and the performing arts, Long Island University has elevated into an international destination for those who aspire to build a career in the music industry. The Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment places LIU in an unparalleled position to provide students with an elite education in these thriving industries. The programs within the school complement the University’s strong reputation for musical performance and will fit seamlessly within the Roc Nation School.

Over the past two years, LIU students have recorded original music at Cove City Sound Studios, which has hosted the likes of Ray Charles, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, LL Cool J, Mandy Moore, Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez, as well as Reservoir Studios, which also boasts a stellar client list including Paul Simon, Spike Lee, Norah Jones, Sufjan Stevens and more. “I don’t see that happening at other universities,” said Tony Dofat, music professor on the Brooklyn campus.

Music professor Tony Dofat, an original member of Bad Boy Records, shares with students his insights gleaned from decades of working with dozens of high-profile artists, including Heavy D, Queen Latifah, Will Smith, Mary J. Blige and Notorious B.I.G.

Dofat has been an integral piece of the Music Technology, Entrepreneurship and Production program in Brooklyn, drawing upon his connections from decades in the industry. “There was no program and we’re building something from scratch. We’re actually training these students to grow up to become potential moguls. It’s exciting.” Dofat is a Grammy-recognized and highly-decorated audio technology professor, responsible for over 40 million records sold worldwide. He is an original member of Bad Boy Records and has composed and produced hit tracks and remixes for some of the top recording artists in the industry, including Heavy D, Queen Latifah, Will Smith, Mary J. Blige and Notorious B.I.G.

Additional faculty include Samuel Newsome and Jeff Lederer. Newsome is an award-winning saxophonist, composer, and educator with six critically acclaimed solo saxophone albums to his name. He was voted Soprano Saxophonist of the Year in 2014 by the Seventh Annual International Critics Poll and received The Alpert/Ragdale Prize in Music Composition in 2018. Lederer is a saxophonist, woodwind performer and composer who has been included in the Downbeat Critics' and Readers' Polls each year since 2014. He leads ensembles including Shakers n' Bakers, Sunwatcher, Honey Ear Trio and Brooklyn Blowhards which received critical acclaim worldwide including a New York Times profile.

“The record label lets our students experience first-hand exactly what is waiting out there for them in the current and rapidly shifting music industry,” said Lederer, who directs the program on the LIU Post campus. “I look forward to lots of creativity coming out of the program in innovative approaches to music and entrepreneurship.” “Music is going to always be around,” said Dofat. “The way we consume it is going to change. It’s going to always be in commercials, ads, movies, television, anywhere you go in public areas – airports, elevators, supermarkets. Even if the students decide not to pursue the music industry, they can still make a ton of money doing it in different aspects.”