Barry Serota was widely known for his deep knowledge of Jewish music. An advisor to the Milken Archive of Jewish Music he participated in the Library of American Jewish Music project which resulted in recordings published under the Naxos label. He was also a practicing attorney and the executive director of the Institute for Jewish Sound Recording.


As the founder and director of Musique Internationale he produced over 100 sound recordings of Jewish sacred and secular music. He was especially prominent as a promoter of chazzanut. Many of the cantorial pieces that Serota recorded on his label were rare and unique.