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Since 1968, Sheffield Recordings Ltd in, just outside Baltimore in Phoenix, Maryland has been providing high quality media production services to the public. Today the facility has grown to about 20,000 square feet containing world-class audio and video facilities. Audio studio A, our largest studio, contains an analog SSL Duality console and 48-track Pro Tools HD system. Audio studio B contains a digital Yamaha DM2000 console and a 48-track Pro Tools HD system. Our two offline/online video editing suites contain Avid Adrenaline and Avid Xpress Pro editing systems. The video department also contains an Adobe After Effects and Adobe Creative Suite , a DVD authoring suite, and a large sound stage. Sheffield also takes its facilities on the road with the all digital SSL MT+ and dual Pro Tools HD equipped remote audio truck. In 1975, Sheffield Recordings Ltd. hosted some of the first vocational audio engineering workshops given in recording studios in the United States. The courses, given by the Recording Institute of America, were taught until 1982.

In 1995, The Sheffield Institute for the Recording Arts (SIRA), a sound and video production school, was created to provide vocational instruction and hands-on training to aspiring students of audio, video, broadcasting and system integration. The Maryland Higher Education Commission approved our recording arts school in 1996. This enormous breadth of experience and equipment makes our school unique in the audio and video engineering industry and a perfect place for students to learn what it takes to be successful in the real world.

Our facility is utilized for presenting courses and lectures that are usually given in a classroom or studio to the entire group enrolled in a course. However, labs at our recording arts school in Phoenix, Maryland are divided into smaller groups to enhance the "hands-on experience" and allow the instructors to give more attention to each student. The equipment used for instruction at our audio production school is the same equipment used in the day-to-day operation of Sheffield Audio / Video Productions and throughout the industry.

The mission of The Sheffield Institute for the Recording Arts (SIRA) is to provide graduates with a formal education in TV and Radio broadcasting and audio / video technology. Hands-on experience is gained while working with industry professionals and instructors on state-of-the-art equipment. In today's highly competitive job market an audio / video assistant is expected to understand scientific fundamentals of the physics of light and sound, be comfortable with the operation of complex equipment, and withstand the pressures of working in the demanding environment of a modern facility.

By being immersed in audio / video technology and equipment at our institute, a student can become proficient and competent to perform under the pressure of real-world circumstances. The Sheffield Institute for the Recording Arts provides its students with the same types of experiences they will encounter in on-the-job situations. These experiences become the practical foundation on which a student can build his or her career.

Formal lectures are given in the studios and classrooms by industry professionals. These lectures range from basic introductory courses to advanced training in leading edge technology. Lab courses involve equipment use from basic function through advanced techniques on professional equipment. Our goal is for students to acquire the skills necessary to prepare them for employment in the professional broadcasting and audio / video industry.

Hello future, current, and former SIRA students! My name is Ernie Beck and I am an Audioworks and Techworks alumni. I also interned for the studios between my two programs. I wanted to share my experience since graduating from SIRA in November 2009.

Upon graduating, a connection I made from SIRA referred me to an AV integration firm based in Baltimore, MD. I started as a technician doing installations. Within a few months I transitioned into a system design role providing client consultation, system design, proposal generation, and client follow through.

Three years out and I had designed systems for clients in the Department of Defense, Johns Hopkins University, and Department of Health & Human Resources (to name a few). In February 2012, I was tasked with designing a Pro Tools HD studio complete with two video editing suites from the ground up at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). A project I will not soon forget.

Recently, I was offered a position with the nation’s largest commercial AV integrator out of the Washington D.C. location. Here I am responsible for managing and growing our presence in the healthcare AV and Unified Communications (UC) markets. This latest transition has positioned me for success, just like SIRA did.

It hasn’t been an easy journey, nor am I even close to the end of my road. Many times early in my career I felt like quitting and going back to what was comfortable. I knew deep down that how I overcame challenges is what would ultimately define me. Work became more natural and enjoyable. Enjoyment turned to passion, which led me to working at a great company in a growing technology field; a spot I feel truly lucky to be in.

Not only did SIRA give me the knowledge to get myself started, they provided a haven for networking and building lifelong industry relationships. With the knowledge and connections gained at SIRA and an absolute desire to succeed, I can say with conviction, “I love what I do, each day”. Thank you SIRA!