PCA&D partner ALT at Rock Lititz announces new hires

The Academy of Live Technology (ALT) at Rock Lititz welcomes new staff for their innovative hands-on degree program partnership with Pennsylvania College of Art & Design. Sharon Huizinga will serve as ALT at Rock Lititz Program Director and Marisa Rinchiuso will serve as Project & Operations Manager. 

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design  partnered with ALT to deliver an experiential BFA degree in Live Experience Design & Production. Courses will be delivered both at the Lancaster city PCA&D campus and on the campus of world-renowned Rock Lititz. These courses will offer students a unique opportunity to learn on a campus where many of the world’s biggest stars, shows, and brands come to create, innovate, experiment, and rehearse.

The BFA degree offers training in sound, lighting, staging and video, as well as visual storytelling and world-building through immersive technology, 3D design and modeling, automation and production/tour management. LiveX students will learn from industry leaders in design, production, innovation, and engineering for live experiences, top-of-the-range audio-visual technology, creative design, and virtual production, utilizing large-scale rehearsal facilities.

Huizinga comes to ALT from leading the MFA Lighting Design & Technology program at University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. A lighting designer, programmer, and educator for more than 20 years, she has global experience in the industry. In Amsterdam, she worked for the Dutch National Opera & Ballet, as the Northern Europe Field Project Coordinator for the ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls, an international lighting manufacturer), and designed lighting, projection, and scenery for multiple European/Russian tours with Deva Premal & Miten. She also lectured for the Academy voor Theatre en Dans Amsterdam. In North America, her lighting experience in theatre and dance extends to work for the Olympics, Paralympics, Broadway, the Detroit Auto Show, and serving as the lighting director for the Home States Ball during the 2009 Presidential Inauguration. Her touring credits include designs for Diana Krall and Jesse Cook, lighting direction for Norah Jones and Ballet British Columbia, and working for Cirque Du Soleil. She also has experience in production management, and working as a booking agent in North America. 

Marisa Rinchiuso (she/her) joins ALT after working as a project manager for TAIT. There she worked on a number of tours, including The Weeknd, BLACKPINK, Blake Shelton, and Justin Bieber. She earned her BFA in Production Technology and is pursuing a Master’s in Social Work and Human Sexuality. Marisa is also an IAAP Certified Professional in Accessibility. She is passionate about creating an industry that fosters growth and holistic support for live events professionals and their loved ones. As part of the Rock Lititz community, she participated in the intern program and other events, such as Live Events Career Exploration. 

Top photo: Sharon Huizinga, left, and Marisa Rinchiuso