Music Education

Why study music education?

Students who study music education will engage in instrumental or vocal study, as well as pedagogy and directing classes to prepare for careers teaching music.

  • Choral, band, symphonic, contemporary, chamber and jazz ensembles are available for all students at Augustana, with music majors often acting as section leaders and soloists.
  • Music education students complete student teaching in surrounding school districts and guest-direct ensembles to best prepare themselves for running their own harmonious classrooms.
Music Education at AU

Music Education at AU

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Latest News

In collaboration with the Office of Faith & Spiritual Life, the Augustana School of Music (SoM) invites the public to join the university community for its 2024 Christmas Vespers concert, “Prepare the Way.”

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit nhmhcar.com/vespers.

For the second year, Augustana University students will have the opportunity to perform the works of Johann Sebastian Bach through the School of Music’s Bach Collegium, led by Dr. David Chin, visiting assistant professor of music. The collegium’s first-semester performances will take place on campus in September and November.

The Augustana University School of Music (SoM) is excited to announce that the Augustana Northlanders Jazz Band and Faculty Jazz Combo, along with 800 middle and high school students from three states, will perform during the 49th Annual Jazz on the Upper Great Plains Festival on March 4 and 5, at Hamre Recital Hall in the Fryxell Humanities Center. The jazz festival will feature Matthew Whitaker — an internationally-touring pianist, as well as a Hammond B3, Yamaha and Nord-performing artist — in concert alongside the Northlanders Jazz Band at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 4, at the Washington Pavilion.

Highlights

Trumpet School of Music

Careers

Graduates succeed in careers as band directors, choir directors, fine arts coordinators, K-12 music teachers and private instructors.

Hands-On Learning

Internship opportunities include:

  • Surrounding school districts
  • Arts South Dakota
  • Churches in the Midwest region
  • Sioux Falls Jazz & Blues Society (SF JB)
  • South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO)
  • Washington Pavilion

Music education students study away in:

  • Europe — with the Augustana Choir tour
  • Spain — with the Augustana Band tour
  • Germany — with Angelus at the Women's Choir Festival in Potsdam

Courses & Organizations

Music education majors can choose an emphasis in instrumental or vocal study. Participation in lessons, piano proficiency and ensembles is required. Music education majors also give both junior and senior recitals, as well as regular solo performances during recital hour.

Students study these areas:

  • Instrumental and vocal pedagogy
  • Theory
  • Aural skills
  • History and literature
  • Conducting
  • Music technology

Music education students often participate in:

  • Augustana Student Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA)
  • National Association for Music Education
  • Choral and instrumental ensembles
  • Ukulele Club
  • Hip-Hop Club