Augustana Music Academy Workshop

In collaboration with Arts South Dakota and the South Dakota Arts Council, the Augustana Music Academy (AMA) provides high-quality professional development for music educators teaching kindergarten through 12th grade. Held on Augustana University's campus from July 6-9, AMA offers a diverse blend of workshops and interactive sessions. Participants will have opportunities for hands-on learning equipping them with practical skills to enhance their teaching practices and better support their students.

Educators can earn up to two graduate, undergraduate or recertification (CEU) credits during the academy.

• Special Session | July 6-9 | Augustana School of Music

Educators will receive a specialized 4-day intensive on the music notation software Dorico. Designed to move participants from foundational skills to advanced proficiency, this comprehensive course culminates in Steinberg–Dorico Certification. The training is ideal for educators seeking to meet the evolving demands of music notation technology in today’s classroom.

Meet the Instructor

Frank Cook is the director of media production & entrepreneurship and innovative practices at Augustana University, the president of NextPoint Training, Inc. and Avid Master Instructor. At Augustana, he shapes curriculum and provides strategic direction for the media production & entrepreneurship program. He also teaches classes in media technology, including upper division Pro Tools and Dolby Atmos courses for professional certification. Cook’s expertise extends globally, as he trains educators aspiring to become Avid Certified Instructors. Cook is a musician, author, educator and entrepreneur. He has been a consultant for Avid Technology for the past 20 years — helping to shape learning initiatives and develop textbooks and exams for Avid’s official training and certification programs.

• Session 1 | July 6-7 | Augustana School of Music

This session will provide teachers with a practical, classroom-ready dive into Electronic Music Elements that teaches them to “think like a DJ” arranging beats, bass, chords and melody in Soundtrap, scaffolding tactile student experiences and designing career-connected projects that fit any 4-12 student classroom. Project-based and device-first, teachers leave with lessons and a plan they can use immediately. This session will address creative solutions to student engagement and connection to their culture and community.

Meet the Instructor

As a DJ, producer and musician, Eric Jao (also known as DJ Enferno) has been a music professional since 1991 and performed for more than 3 million people in 36 countries, including touring with Madonna in the 2008-09 Sticky & Sweet World Tour. Jao has produced concert music for Madonna, Shakira and the Michael Jackson Cirque Du Soleil shows. He's made remixes for Interscope, Warner Bros Music and Universal. In 2015, Jao opened for 20th Century FOX’s presentation at Cinemacon — performing a self-produced 'live' remix of the Peanuts Theme, which was later licensed and included in 2015 Peanuts Movie bonus features. Similarly, Jao recently produced and performed music for the Red Hat Summit (2019) for 9000+ attendees.

With his unique Music Interactive show, Jao energizes, educates and entertains corporate audiences by creating and performing music (literally) on-the-spot. As DJ Enferno, he balances DC nightclub and private event performances with trips to venues across America and around the world.

• Session 2: Option 1 | July 8-9 | Augustana School of Music

K–12 and collegiate music educators will be led through an immersive 2-day workshop equipping them with the technical knowledge and practical experience required to operate and teach live sound systems. Participants will explore audio fundamentals, signal flow, mixing strategies and sound system troubleshooting through hands-on labs, live simulations and real-time mixing experiences. The course emphasizes skill transfer to classroom and performance settings.

Meet the Instructor

Scott Jibben is a seasoned audio professional with years of experience in recording studio productions, live sound engineering and musical compositions. He is certified in Avid's Pro Tools, Media Composer and Sibelius software programs. Jibben's original musical works have been placed with Showtime, CBS, The CW and more.

• Session 2: Option 2 | July 8-9 | Augustana School of Music & Popplers Music

Proudly partnering with Poppers Music, the AMA is hosting a 2-day professional development experience designed for music educators seeking practical, classroom-ready skills.

July 8 takes place at the Augustana School of Music and focuses on string pedagogy and music program leadership from Dr. Ioana Galu and Dr. Boyd Perkins, respectively. Participants will explore foundational techniques for teaching upper strings, including setup, tone production, posture, bowing fundamentals and lesson planning. The day also includes administrative strategies for effective communication, budget design, long-range planning and integration of emerging AI tools to streamline professional workflows.

July 9 takes place at Popplers Music and offers a hands-on, small-cohort experience (limited to 10 participants). Sessions include instrument repair observation, piano demonstrations, copyright overview, music bid processes, new product insights and interactive discussion with music retail professionals.