HSE University’s “Media Sharks”: The Digital Music Record Label in a Classical University

Abstract

The article showcases the value aspects of a music record label in a classical higher education institution. In the article, I elicit specific features of conceptualizing and starting-up the main operational cycle with Media Sharks record label, which has been founded at the Faculty of Communications, Media and Design at the HSE University. I overview the managerial and technological processes that are related to the organization of the project operation at the start-up of digital music product release with the forthcoming perspective of turning the project into the main operation cycle. Digital music record label in a classical higher education institution is deemed to be an innovative direction in the media education in terms of project-type research activity of the young scholars learning media literacy and music management: it fosters realization of academic, industrial, and educational purposes, substantial for popularization of personal brands of campus residents in the context of permanent growth of the university’s image. The model of launching the record label suggested in the article has been experimentally tested between August, 2021, and February, 2022. Currently, Media Sharks label is at the turn between experimental operation and the main operation cycle. The students—residents of the label release and promote their music compositions, arrange concerts and hybrid-type performative fashion shows together with designers and music industry professionals.