Eric Songer has been a music educator at Chaska Middle School West since 1997. He has degrees in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Curriculum & Instruction from the University of St. Thomas. He has created a program that includes jazz, rock, country, bluegrass, Mariachi, hip hop, EDM and marching. He has created ways to give students an opportunity to compose, improvise, learn guitar and ukulele, DJ, rap and beatbox, produce and remix, and learn music from around the world through innovative scheduling including “Band AND”, “WIN Ensembles” and “Bonus Lessons”. Mr. Songer teaches privately, composes and arranges music, and performs as a trombonist and guitarist. Eric has published articles in the “Instrumentalist”, “Teaching Music” and “Music Educators Journal” and has recently published a book on teaching popular music ensembles. He has presented at many universities and professional conferences including several times at the NAfME National Conference and the Association of Popular Music Education National Conference. He is currently on the board of the Minnesota Music Educators Association and the Minnesota Band Directors Association. He was the recipient of the 2019 Give A Note Innovation in Music Education Award, District 112 Teacher of the Year in 2008 and 2021, Schmitt Music Educator of the Year in 2023 and CMA Music Teacher of Excellence in 2023. His wife Heidi is also a musician and educator and they teach some courses together. They live in Chaska, Minnesota with their kids Caleb and Abby.
