December 4, 2006 -- Neutrik recently provided an assortment of its XX and EMC-XLR series XLR cable connectors to The Music Resource Center, a multi-faceted music education center for teenagers, located in Charlottesville, VA.
The donation by Neutrik will increase the functionality and services throughout the center, with the main emphasis on wiring its studios and increasing its educational abilities. The center says it uses the recording and performing arts to create a sense of empowerment and accomplishment in the urban community.
According to a press release, the center moved into its current facilities approximately two years ago, and has faced difficulty in obtaining funds for parts to wire its five studios together. The Neutrik donation will enable the center to connect its large studio A with the facility's other four rooms. With only seven out of 100 microphone jacks currently working, the Neutrik products are expected to facilitate complete functionality throughout the center.
Additionally, the center says it will utilize the Neutrik products as a tool for teaching audio engineering. With expanded microphone lines, the center says it can now provide greater in-depth instruction. The donation will also allow the center to engineer students' recordings.
"We were looking for help, so we started with the best," comments Vijith Assar, membership coordinator at The Music Resource Center. "Neutrik has a reputation for reliability and the company was overwhelmingly willing to assist us. The understanding is that if you wire up everything with Neutrik, you're not going to have any problems with it."
The center's recording studios and four self-contained rooms can be used by students free of charge. The organization also offers free lessons, loaner instruments, dance classes and a performance studio where students can host live shows and CD release parties. Operating primarily as an after school program, the center also participates in outreach initiatives where volunteers will travel with a laptop and small portable keyboard to schools, juvenile detention centers, and children's hospitals. For fiscal year 2006, the center served a total of 777 children - 525 at its central facility and 252 through outreach programs.
"The upstairs space has a phenomenal reverb that's great for drums, but we haven't been able to use it because none of that equipment has been plugged in," continues Assar. "Now, when we record with the kids, we can put them upstairs and get these great sounds on their recordings."
"Neutrik was more than willing to help The Music Resource Center reach its potential," concludes Jim Cowan, president of Neutrik. "The [center is] a quality organization positively impacting children in the community and equipping them with the life skills needed for a future in music and the performing arts."
Neutrik manufactures a range of XLR connectors and receptacles, jacks and plugs, speaker connectors and accessories for the professional audio industry. For more information, visit the company's Web site, www.neutrikusa.com.
