How to resolve AdBlock issue? Focusrite RedNet & Scarlett for Dr. Henry Panion III
Award-winning composer, conductor, educator, and producer Dr. Henry Panion III (pictured left) has built a career at the intersection of orchestral music, technology and large-scale production, from conducting global orchestras for Stevie Wonder to directing complex international broadcasts. Today, that vision is powered by a comprehensive Focusrite ecosystem spanning his private facility, Audiostate 55, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). James Bevelle, Chief Audio Engineer at both Audiostate 55, is pictured on the right.
Panion, a distinguished University Professor of Music and Director of Music Technology at UAB, relies on Focusrite Scarlett audio interfaces across multiple student labs to train the next generation of engineers, composers and content creators. The UAB Music Technology program offers a curriculum that blends cutting-edge technology, creative practice and real-world industry preparation, equipping students to excel as composers, arrangers, multimedia creators, producers, performers and recording engineers. Students train in state-of-the-art lab spaces, including a 16-station Music Technology Lab with Pro Tools, Logic, Ableton Live, Sibelius, Media Composer and more, alongside a video editing bay and Foley Lab that deepen their skills in sound-for-picture, sound design and multimedia production. The program includes AVID Pro Tools Certification and exposure to emerging AI-driven tools for music creation and production, while partnerships with top studios in Birmingham, Nashville and Atlanta provide invaluable real-world experience. The program is led by a decorated faculty of EMMY, GRAMMY, TELLY, and Billboard Award-winning professionals, including Panion himself, who bring elite, real-world industry perspective directly into the classroom.
At Audiostate 55, Panion’s three-studio production complex celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026, Focusrite’s RedNet Dante-networked audio system serves as the backbone of large-format production. With multiple RedNet MP8R, HD32R and AM2 units deployed across Studios A, B and C, Panion and his engineering team are able to route pristine, ultra-low-latency audio instantly between control rooms, ISO booths and full orchestra tracking spaces. “For projects at this scale, RedNet isn’t optional, it’s essential,” Panion explains. “We can move audio anywhere in the facility instantly. Without it, we simply could not produce the work we’re doing today.”
RedNet became mission-critical during Panion’s tenure as Artistic and Creative Director of the Opening & Closing Ceremonies of the World Games 2022, a globally broadcast production involving thousands of athletes, massive orchestral forces, dancers, field pageantry artists, props, choirs and a star-studded lineup that included Lionel Richie, Nelly, Sheila E., Bootsy Collins, Yolanda Adams and more. During COVID restrictions, Panion used Audiostate 55’s RedNet-powered infrastructure to safely pre-produce the official World Games theme song with 30 youth vocalists, major gospel choirs and Alabama artists, remotely routing and managing massive session counts with absolute reliability.
“From youth choirs and jazz bands to opera and full orchestra, everything locks in perfectly with RedNet,” Panion says. “The audio quality, the lack of latency, and the ability to patch virtually instead of physically has completely changed how we work.” At UAB, Panion is also leading one of Alabama’s first Dolby Atmos music production initiatives, integrating immersive workflows into the core curriculum. Students build binaural Atmos mixes at their individual Scarlett-powered stations before moving sessions into the main 7.1.4 Atmos editing bay, bridging education and real-world production seamlessly.
Panion’s relationship with Focusrite spans decades, beginning with early plugin use and evolving into a full-scale infrastructure partnership. “Technology is always just a tool,” he notes. “It doesn’t replace musicianship or engineering skill, but in the right hands, tools like RedNet and Scarlett allow you to go further than ever before.”
From international orchestral tours with Stevie Wonder to GRAMMY-caliber gospel recordings, PBS productions, opera, and global broadcast spectaculars, Dr. Henry Panion continues to prove that when artistry meets technology with tools like RedNet and Scarlett interfaces, the possibilities are limitless. “Focusrite gives me the freedom to move seamlessly between those worlds, whether I’m producing a global broadcast, recording massive ensembles, or training the next generation of creators. When the technology simply works at the highest level, it allows the music and the vision to go even further.”