Announcing the Berklee Emerging Artistic Technology Lab (BEATL)

Dear Berklee community,

As you know, a core pillar of our strategic plan is to continue Berklee’s exceptional track record of taking a career-centric, forward-thinking approach to equipping our students with the technical skills and industry knowledge needed to lead the future of creativity.

I’m pleased to announce the launch of the Berklee Emerging Artistic Technology Lab (BEATL), a new innovation lab focused on the convergence of music creation and creative technology—including next-generation creator tools; AI and machine learning; immersive and interactive experience design; and new interfaces for music creation. BEATL will bring together technologists, entrepreneurs, and artists to give Berklee students direct access to the evolving intersection of music and technology. Mark Ethier, cofounder of audio company iZotope, joined Berklee as BEATL’s executive director on September 3, 2025, reporting directly to me.

BEATL is a student-centered, career-focused hub for innovation in music technology with a specific focus on empowering musicians. BEATL will provide students with resources to respond quickly to emerging trends in music creation, collaboration, performance, and the broader tech landscape, while assessing the impact of these trends on the creative industries. By convening industry leaders and artist-practitioners, BEATL will foster a culture of experimentation with a focus on action, positioning students for long-term career success. The lab will explore the role of machine learning and generative AI in music and creativity, serving as a collaborative catalyst across Berklee’s academic programs and within the music and creative tech industries, with artist advocacy at its core.

As one of the most respected artist-centric innovators and entrepreneurs at the intersection of music and technology, Mark is the ideal leader for BEATL. He is a musician and steadfast advocate for artists who has helped create essential technology used by millions of music creators today. Mark cofounded iZotope in 2001 after graduating from MIT with degrees in music and computer science. Under his leadership as CEO, iZotope’s tools helped musicians, engineers, and producers realize their creative vision and earned numerous honors, including multiple NAMM TEC Awards (Technical Excellence & Creativity), two Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Development, and an Academy Award for Scientific and Engineering Achievement. The company was also recognized multiple times on the Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work list.

BEATL continues our history of technology-centric innovation—from pioneering the first college major in music synthesis (now electronic production and design), to becoming the largest provider of online music education with Berklee Online, to building blockchain-enabled tools for creators. As AI reshapes how music is created and taught, we have launched an AI and Music Innovation series, hosted a recent Audio Engineering Society symposium, and formalized a human-centered, artist-first approach to machine learning. More information about BEATL will be shared soon. Learn more and subscribe to receive updates. 

Mark has served on Berklee’s Presidential Advisory Council, as well as on the boards of The Record Co., Native Instruments, WBUR, Curio Spice Co., the Waldorf School of Lexington, and other organizations.

We are excited for Mark to lead Berklee’s efforts in this important area. Please join me in congratulating Mark on his appointment and welcoming him to the Berklee community.

Yours, 

Jim Lucchese
President