Business & Technology
Oxford installs Harrison console in new humanities centre
The University of Oxford has installed a Harrison 32Classic mixing console in the new Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities. The desk is housed in one of three music studios used by the Faculty of Music.
The installation is part of a wider audio setup across the building, which brings together studios, rehearsal areas and performance venues on a Dante audio-over-IP network. In Studio Three, the 32-channel analogue console is linked to an Ensemble Room and four smaller practice spaces, allowing staff and students to record live performances from multiple locations.
Studio Manager Daniel Hulme said Studio Three was designed to support conventional recording methods alongside electronic and experimental work. “Studio Three is a traditional recording studio. As well as more experimental and electronic compositional work, we teach students the traditional ways of making music in the recording studio, with small- to medium-sized ensembles performing in a room together.”
The nearby rooms are connected to the Harrison console through the network. “The Harrison gives us connectivity between all those spaces in that immediate area, so you can really capture a good-sized ensemble with separation,” Hulme said.
Teaching focus
Oxford selected the console in part for how students would use it in teaching sessions. Hulme noted that many users are musicians rather than trainee engineers, and that this shaped the studio workflow.
“They’re not technicians, they’re not engineering students; they’re musicians. It’s not an engineering course; it’s a creative practice course. So the workflow of the Harrison was perfect, in that it’s a relatively simple, open architecture. Some other products are more geared towards tech-heavy engineering and have multiple layers; there’s lots of stuff that could be overwhelming for a music student. There are no hidden layers to the Harrison. It’s all there to see.”
He also cited the sound of the desk as a factor in the final choice. “The thing that I liked about the Harrison was primarily the sound of the console, the sound of the EQ and the mic pre. It did not disappoint. I ran some stems through it and listened to the EQ. It was a beautiful thing. The 32Classic has the right balance of function, form and sound. That really appealed to me.”
Networked rooms
The building’s Dante network extends beyond the studio complex. It also connects the 500-seat Sohmen Concert Hall and the 120-capacity Black Box Performance Lab, giving the Faculty of Music the option to route live performances back to the studio for recording through the Harrison desk.
Hulme said this setup simplifies the teaching process for students moving between live rooms, the console and digital audio workstation software. “The functionality with the Dante integration means that there’s a really simple workflow that we can create for the students. It’s one-to-one from the live room into the console and one-to-one from the console into the DAW. It’s an easy thing to teach and for students to understand. They get good results quickly, and we can move through the curriculum quickly.”
He also described the acoustic and technical specification of the main concert hall. “The concert hall is pin-drop quiet and has a beautiful, variable acoustic, and there’s a multitude of concealed microphone ties and various other connectivity to connect back to the studios.”
Joshua Rush, chief marketing officer at Audinate, said the project shows how a single network can link different types of spaces in a teaching building. “We are excited to be part of the audio infrastructure at the University of Oxford’s new multi-studio facility. Dante was built to make audio routing as flexible as creativity itself, and this project is a perfect example of what’s possible when a whole building shares one network. By connecting studios, rehearsal spaces and performance venues to a common Dante backbone, the Faculty of Music can capture performances wherever they happen quickly, reliably and at the highest quality.”
Immersive audio
The centre’s other two music studios are also connected to Dante interfaces. Studio One is configured as a Dolby Atmos 9.1.4 room, while Studio Two is designed for several immersive audio formats, including NHK 22.2, Dolby Atmos, Sony 360 Reality Audio and Ambisonics.
All three studios were acoustically designed by Level Acoustics. Hulme said the 32Classic can monitor a 12-channel surround source from the Dante interface, and he is considering workflows that would let students record with immersive formats in mind while monitoring projects through Studio One’s Dolby Atmos speaker system.
His preference for an analogue console reflects his early experience in recording studios in the north of England and later work in London and Liverpool. Hulme said that background informed the design priorities for Studio Three and the wider balance between established recording practice and newer production formats.
“I wanted an analogue console. There’s a view to the future of music production here and what that might mean. We are very invested in exploring immersive technologies and workflows creatively, but let’s not forget about the past and where we’ve come from. If you’ve got good foldback and you can combine things together in an easy and immediate way, and it sounds fantastic without you having to do too much, you’re in a good place creatively. That makes things more fluid and makes the whole production process happen quicker. I think a good analogue console uniquely brings that to the table.”
Bicester is seeing a surge in demands thanks to a blend of premium retail at Bicester Village, strong rail connectivity, and easy access to Oxford and London.
New data from the digital rail ticketing platform TrainPal shows the destination experiencing sustained growth, as travellers increasingly look beyond traditional tourist hotspots.
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It’s ranked among other locations, including Salford, at the top spot, Hatfield, St Albans, and London.
Destinations experiencing the strongest growth in rail demand, highlighting a growing appetite for places that combine strong transport links, cultural attractions, food scenes, outdoor experiences and value for money.
Alvaro Ungurean, European commercial director, said the trends show travellers prioritising destination that offer “memorable experiences, easy accessibility, and a strong sense of place.”
SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO
News Editor
Venture Forge has appointed Stephen Kenwright as Fractional Chief Commercial Officer, adding the former Rise at Seven executive to the Yorkshire Amazon agency’s leadership team.
At the 21-person company, Kenwright will lead new business and marketing as Venture Forge develops its commercial strategy and expands its market presence. The appointment comes as the agency prepares to support client brands through Amazon Prime Day, a key trading period for sellers on the platform.
Founded in 2018 by former Heads of E-Commerce Andrew Banks and Jonathan Newton, Venture Forge helps consumer brands sell through Amazon. Its clients include Thermos, VAX, John Cotton and Glen Dimplex.
Kenwright brings nearly two decades of experience in commercial, digital and agency leadership. He founded Rise at Seven in 2019 and helped grow the business to annual revenues of more than £7 million, with 110 employees across Sheffield, Manchester, London and New York, before leaving after three years.
He also founded SearchLeeds and now works as a non-executive director and business development consultant for several agencies. His work has been recognised by Business Insider’s 42 Under 42 and The Drum.
Growth plans
The hire reflects Venture Forge’s efforts to strengthen its leadership team as the business grows. The agency has built its position by advising consumer brands on Amazon sales, operations and profitability.
The role adds dedicated senior oversight of commercial development beyond the two founders, marking a shift from a founder-led growth model to a broader management structure as the business expands.
Kenwright said he had not expected to take on another CCO role.
“I had no plans to return to the fray in a CCO role, but the opportunity with Venture Forge was too good to pass up.
“I was excited to get deep into Amazon, since I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface in my previous companies. Working with Andy and Jonathan, who’ve been friends of friends for a long time and experienced retailers in their own right, has been a great experience over the last few weeks.”
“Most of all, it feels like an agency in its ascendency, and one where I can make a significant difference.”
Founders’ view
Andrew Banks, Founder and Managing Director of Venture Forge, said the appointment reflects both Kenwright’s background and the stage the company has reached.
“Stephen isn’t a stranger. He’s someone Jonathan and I have known of and rated for years.
“So this was never just about hiring a CCO. It’s about the right person arriving at exactly the right moment: the point where our commercial ambition has outgrown what two founders can carry alone.
“Having an operator of his pedigree choose us tells us everything about where Venture Forge is heading.”
The recruitment also reflects continued demand for specialists in marketplace commerce, particularly among consumer brands seeking stronger sales on Amazon. Agencies in this segment have benefited as manufacturers and retailers devote more attention to direct marketplace performance, advertising and fulfilment economics.
Prime Day remains one of the most important points in the Amazon trading calendar, often driving a surge in promotional activity, stock planning and advertising spend among brands. For agencies serving that market, the period can act as both a test of operational readiness and a source of new client demand.
Both founders previously held Head of E-Commerce roles before setting up the business. As Banks put it, the company has reached “the point where our commercial ambition has outgrown what two founders can carry alone.”
In an open letter, sent to Oxfordshire County Council, a group led by estate agent Savills and including developers and university colleges, has predicted a hit to new home delivery and business funding if new parking standards are not dropped soon.
They also said the new rules may lead to existing communities being charged to park on the street, outside their own homes.
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Delivered on Wednesday, June 17, the letter was signed by David Jackson, director at estate agents Savills, on behalf of Oxford University Development, as well as Brasenose, Christ Church, Exeter, Magdalen, New, Nuffield and St John’s colleges.
The university and colleges are involved in a number of building projects around the city including Begbroke and Oxford North innovation districts, and 1,450-home Bayswater Brook.
In addition, developers Bellway Homes, Catesby Estates, Dorchester Residential Management and Greencore Homes were also signatories.
The group stressed that they support the council’s overall transport objectives including reducing car usage and increasing active travel but are “deeply concerned” about the 2026 standards.
These were adopted at a council meeting on April 21, and it was proposed they should apply to the entire county.
In his letter, Mr Jackson highlighted the introduction of a new category for residential development ‘Car Light’ and changes to the previously existing ‘Car Free’ communities.
‘Car Light’ is a new distinction for which a reduced level of parking provision is mandated, with 50 per cent of parking required to be on the street.
The tweaks to the ‘Car Free’ communities, which will see acceptable walking distances increased, would significantly extend the area in which new homes will have to be built with no parking provision.
The leader of Oxfordshire County Council denied the new parking standards were about being “anti-car”.
Tim Bearder said: “Oxfordshire is being asked to accommodate very significant housing and employment growth over the coming decades, but we cannot endlessly widen roads or build ever more parking spaces.”
The Liberal Democrat explained that if car use grows unchecked, congestion will worsen, creating difficulties for those who have no alternative to driving.
In addition, parking spaces take up land and reduce the number of homes that can be delivered.
Mr Bearder, who was named leader only last month, said transport had to be balanced, with developments prioritised for areas where public transport is an option.
“If we fail to plan for that now,” he said, “the scale of growth being imposed on Oxfordshire will overwhelm a transport network that is already under considerable pressure”.
However, Mr Jackson and those behind him have made dire warnings following the introduction of the 2026 standards and have called on the local authority to withdraw them and undertake a full and open consultation on how the previous rules might be adapted.
If left, the group warned the measures would “undermine, or at the least significantly delay, the delivery of much-needed homes” including affordable properties.
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They added: “They are likely to give rise to a withdrawal of investment from new business and commercial spaces consequent on the drop in the attractiveness of Oxfordshire as a location for businesses to move to.”
In addition, existing communities may well be impacted, said Mr Jackson, as a requirement for ‘Car Free’ projects will be that Controlled Parking Zones will be introduced into communities near developments to manage the risk of overspill parking in roads next to developments.
He said: “This will have the effect of requiring residents in those neighbouring communities to pay an annual fee to park on street.”
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