University of Canterbury

Ron Ball recording equipment

The University of Canterbury (UC) is seeking to procure professional-grade portable recording equipment to support a collaborative recording initiative between the School of Music and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra (CSO) within the Digital Screen Programme.
This procurement will establish a high-quality recording capability at the Ron Ball Studio in the Christchurch Town Hall, enabling professional-standard orchestral, ensemble, and screen scoring recording activities. The equipment will be jointly utilised by UC and the CSO under an agreed Memorandum of Understanding and will support teaching, research, creative production, and industry engagement activities.
The investment represents a strategic initiative for UC by enabling a critical missing component of the Digital Screen Programme production lifecycle, particularly in film, game, and animation music scoring. The portable nature of the equipment will also allow flexible deployment across multiple environments, including live events, broadcasting, and off-site recording activities.
The recording solution will:
• Support practical student learning through access to professional recording environments
• Enable collaboration between UC students, staff, and the CSO
• Strengthen interdisciplinary teaching and research within Creative and Digital Arts
• Support high-quality research and creative outputs by academic and performance staff
• Improve UC’s long-term recording and production capability through sustainable shared infrastructure arrangements
• Enhance UC’s partnership with a key cultural organisation in Christchurch
The University requires a fit-for-purpose, professional recording solution capable of delivering industry-standard audio performance suitable for orchestral and large ensemble recording, while also supporting portability, durability, and integration with existing UC and CSO infrastructure.
The requirements UC expects from the equipment are available in Appendix 1.
Minimum requirements (Must have)
• Professional-grade recording capability suitable for orchestral, ensemble, and screen scoring production
• Portable and modular equipment design suitable for deployment across multiple recording environments
• Industry-standard audio fidelity and low-noise performance suitable for professional recording applications
• Reliable synchronisation and signal routing capability across digital and analogue environments
• Capability to support multi-channel orchestral recording workflows
• Robust

Department/Business Unit: Planning, Finance & ITS