Community Engagement

The Augustana School of Music (SoM) partners in many ways with organizations throughout the surrounding community to foster interest and innovation in the arts, share resources and expand the university's reach. These organizations include, but aren't limited to, Arts South Dakota, the South Dakota Arts Council, Levitt at the Falls, Sioux Falls' Children's Choir, Sioux Falls Municipal Band, Washington Pavilion and South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO).

The SoM also offers opportunities for the community to record music and podcasts through its own Studio 47.

The School of Music at Augustana partners with Arts South Dakota and South Dakota Arts Council to provide professional development for music educators and enthusiasts. The Augustana Music Academy (AMA) offers an immersive experience led by seasoned educators and industry professionals to inspire innovation and enhance classroom engagement for K–12 instructors and beyond.

The Augustana University School of Music and Levitt at the Falls team up each summer to provide unforgettable experiences for elementary, middle and high school students. These summer jam camps allow young musicians to explore their creativity by engaging in hands-on learning with state-of-the-art instruments, production tools and expert educators. Students also get to participate in special performances on the Levitt stage in downtown Sioux Falls — celebrating their musical journey.

The Augustana University School of Music plays host to the Sioux Falls Children's Choir — created for talented young singers in second through sixth grade. The choir's rehearsals, where children learn to read music and music theory, are held in the choir room in the Fryxell Humanities Center at Augustana. Their semester concerts are also held in Augustana's Hamre Hall.

Augustana University, through its School of Music, provides the artist direction for the Sioux Falls Municipal Band. This includes planning rehearsals and performances, recruiting band members and developing performance standards while the Washington Pavilion handles the administrative functions like budgeting, payroll and marketing. A longstanding community tradition, the Sioux Falls Municipal Band typically performs a summer concert series in various Sioux Falls locations, including Terrace Park, as well as other events and festivals throughout the year.

Augustana University’s School of Music is the proud artistic partner of the largest arts organization in the state — the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO). SDSO musicians are an integral part of the instrumental faculty at the Augustana SoM — working together to recruit talented musicians and great teachers. The university is also an artistic hub for creativity on campus as the SDSO has access to Augustana facilities to rehearse and perform.

The two organizations have a rich history together. The SDSO was formed in 1922 in conjunction with Augustana College as the Augustana Symphony Orchestra, with students and community members playing side by side, and changed to Augustana Town and Gown Symphony Orchestra in 1952. The SDSO was incorporated in 1965 as the Sioux Falls Symphony and declared the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra in 1977. Throughout the years, many Augustana faculty members have been a part of the SDSO.