The University of Arkansas Department of Music, part of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, has teamed up with Haxton Road Studios in Bentonville on what is being described as a major recording initiative, according to a report on the University’s website.

The University’s Department of Music will record digital albums at Haxton Road Studios featuring student ensembles, faculty ensembles and the winners of the prestigious U of A Concerto Competition over the course of the spring semester. Limited hard copies of the recordings may also be produced.

The project marks a renewed effort by the uni to further integrate recording, production and studio work into its offerings for students, providing them with the opportunity to work with seasoned music industry professionals.

“The Haxton Road Studios recording project will give our students, faculty and ensembles the opportunity to work in a state-of-the-art studio right here in Northwest Arkansas,” said Ronda Mains, chair of the Department of Music. “Students will finish with high-quality, professional recordings — It’s invaluable experience.”

Haxton Road Studios, which opened in 2011, uses digital equipment such as Pro Tools HDX and Universal Audio plugins, as well as offering classic analogue tools such as a Solid State Logic console and vintage instruments.

All U of A projects will be co-produced by Neil Greenhaw, Haxton Road Studios owner, engineer, producer and studio musician, working with a Department of Music faculty team led by Jake Hertzog, instructor, guitarist and producer.

“The sky is the limit here for the artist community. It’s a pleasure to collaborate with great artists, businesses and places like University of Arkansas

– Neil Greenhaw, Haxton Road Studios owner

For Greenhaw, the partnership was a chance to inspire the next generation of musicians, producers and engineers, while simultaneously cultivating the music scene of Northwest Arkansas: “The Northwest Arkansas area is a breeding ground for creativity,” he said. “The sky is the limit here for the artist community. It’s a pleasure to collaborate with great artists, businesses and places like University of Arkansas.”

In addition to the Haxton Road Studios project, the Department of Music is expanding its on-campus recording facilities at the Laundry Room Guitar Lab, while a group of students also launched a new student organisation last autumn called MP3, devoted to music industry relationships, record production and bringing guest speakers to campus.

This story originally appeared on the University of Arkansas website.