Putting Theory into Action through a University-School Artist Development Initiative

"Given the ever-changing nature of the music industry and the scarcity of employment for musicians young people will need to consider self-employment and freelance work. Entrepreneurial skills such as networking, opportunity recognition, risk-taking, and creativity are key to transition to careers beyond high school and/or higher education. This research challenges traditional notions of classroom music to find a pedagogical approach that nurtures self-directed learners in authentic environments.Vermilion High is an innovative, and real-world learning environment that brings together university music, music production, and music business students, and connects them with local high schools. Thirty high school students across South East Queensland submitted their original song for the potential to have their song mentored, recorded, produced, promoted and digitally released through the university student-record label, Vermilion Records. The project took place over a six month period, which included a pre-production phase, a recording phase, and a final promotion and release phase.Vermilion High provided an opportunity for high-school musicians to be professionally recorded and promoted, and digitally released on streaming platforms internationally. The project has so far received over 15,878 social media impressions. The model exposes young musicians to new practices, new audiences and new knowledge, and the high-intensity ‘record-label’ environment provides university students with a real-world experience that will hopefully make them work-ready and resilient. The significance of this research is that the ‘art’ of entrepreneurial practice is not practiced in a heuristic educational environment; rather, it is learnt experientially in business.