Pioneer Records

Gain Hands-On Experience in the Recording Business 

Unique among colleges and universities in the Pittsburgh region, Pioneer Records is a Point Park University-operated record label managed by the sports, arts and entertainment management department, and housed at Red Caiman Media, a commercial recording studio in Pittsburgh's Uptown section.

Our students have a classroom space at Red Caiman Media, along with access to the studio's recording and production rooms, allowing them to acquire first-hand experience on the various aspects of a record label.

Over the course of a semester, students working with Pioneer Records learn how to:

• Sign an artist or band to a contract
• Assist in the development of a CD
• Secure the necessary intellectual property protection
• Develop a marketing campaign to promote the artist or band
• Execute a CD release/mp3 launch party 
• Deliver a three-song EP to the artist or group
• and more!

"The impetus behind Pioneer Records came out of student feedback indicating a strong interest in understanding the business model of a creating a successful record," said Steve Tanzilli, J.D., dean of the Rowland School of Business.

"We want students to come away from the Pioneer Records program with a thorough understanding of what it takes to bring a successful record to the consumer, and at the same time, as educators, we want our students to have an opportunity to see what a career in the recording business is really like," Tanzilli added.

About Red Caiman Media

Red Caiman Media's mission is to provide a creative and inspiring environment in which artists can develop and produce great music. The studio offers recording, mixing, mastering, graphic and web design and CD duplication/manufacturing services for its clients along with state-of-the-art equipment and highly experienced engineers, producers and musicians.

"Making a successful record takes more than just being a talented musician. Multi-platinum recording artists are the product of a lot of hard work, long hours and dedication, much of which happens after the song is actually recorded," explained Naus.

The studio is owned by Jesse Naus, a professional recording engineer/producer and instructor in Point Park's SAEM department.

Paid Apprenticeship Opportunities

Pioneer Records offers the following four apprenticeship opportunities:

• Operations director
• Multimedia director
• Marketing/publicist/promotions manager
• Booking/sales manager

In these positions, students gain hands-on experience in the areas of booking talent, managing studio logistics and photo shoots, creating press kits and CD covers, coordinating media requests, social media promotion and more.

For more information about apprenticeship opportunities with Pioneer Records, contact Ashley Dobransky at 412-392-8023 or adobransky@pointpark.edu.

News and Features

• "Point Park University Student Performs Single Off EP," KDKA-TV, April 19, 2018.
• "Pioneer Records Selects its Latest Recording Artist," Point Park University website, Nov. 29, 2017.
• "Point Park University Making Music With Pioneer Records Label," KDKA-TV, April 3, 2017.
• "Point Park U's 'Chase & The Barons' Perform An Original Son," KDKA-TV, April 3, 2017.
• "Title IX, Pioneer Records collaborate for concert event," The Globe, April 12, 2016.
• "Pioneer Records to debut album for latest star," The Globe, March 29, 2016.
• "Point Park's Pioneer Records Gives Unique Opportunity to Students and Artists," KDKA-TV, Feb. 15, 2016.
• "John Rushlander Performs Live on Pittsburgh Today Live," KDKA-TV, Feb. 15, 2016.
• "Late-blooming Point Park student develops noteworthy skills as a musician," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Jan. 22, 2016.
• "Point Park University Starts Record Label," and "Hannah Jenkins Performs on PTL," KDKA-TV, April 14, 2015.
• "Point Park Students Mix Business & Music Through New Record Label," NakYouOut.com, March 31, 2015.
• "Point Park's new record label signs its first artist, singer-songwriter Hannah Jenkins," Pittsburgh City Paper, March 4, 2015.
• Feature in The Point: "Point Park Launches a New Artist and New Label, Pioneer Records," Winter 2015 issue.
• "Point Park's Record Label Gets Students in the Studio," Pittsburgh Magazine, Feb. 19, 2015.
• "Point Park students developing record label," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Feb. 1, 2015 and Associated Press, Feb. 7, 2015.
• "Point Park University's Pioneer Records Primes Students for Careers in Music," WHIRL magazine, Jan. 23, 2015.
• "Classmates to help Point Park student, Murrysville native launch music career," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Jan. 15, 2015.

Learn More

For more information about Pioneer Records, visit PioneerRecords.com or contact SAEM Associate Professor Ed Traversari at etraversari@pointpark.edu.