Vel Phillips Memorial High School (Madison WI)
Instructor: Benjamin Jaeger
School Profile: Public city school. grades 9-12, 2000 students
Class Title(s): Music Production
Structure of Your NTM Class(es): Semester-long classes, 5 days a week, 72 students split into two sections, grades 9-12
Describe Class Activities: All assignments are student-driven. They are asked what they want to learn or what they are interested in, and then they are taught the skills necessary to work on their projects. They are taught how to use DAWs, microphones, sampling, mixing, free styling, music business, composition, theory, tracking, live djing, video editing, and song writing. Wednesdays are project hand-in days, Fridays are listening days where students chose the genre they want to listen to and discuss it.
Software Used: FL Studios, Serato, Logic, and Final Cut Pro
Hardware Used: Yamaha HS8 studio monitors, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, M1 iMac, Hammer 88 Keyboards, AZ Studio Workstations desks, Rane 1 Controllers, Shure pg48 mics, 12 Audio-Technica AT2035 mics, Boutique mics, Allen and Heath sound boards
History: Spring 2026 is the 5th semester of running the class. During the pandemic, the school district received federal funding that they needed to use, so they decided to invest in the music program for instruments and top-notch facilities. Pre-pandemic, the program had one old PC with one license to FL Studio that was in a little closet.
Key Success Stories to Share: Had a student make Pitchfork top 16. Had 5 students DJ for the mayor, governor, and chancellor. There have been kids who were lost and hadn't found their social groups; then they started producing music and are now in music school and have really found their place. There were some students who won Rockconsin, which is a state-wide contest for rock bands. They won and got to open for Black Pumas at Summerfest.
Advice to Others Starting NTM Project: Never let money intimidate you. Let student interest drive everything. Make connections and use them. There's always someone who has the funding and wants to help the kids; you just have to find them.
Key Metrics/Data % of Students in Music Tech Classes: About 3% of the school population is enrolled in the music production class. There 72 kids in the class. They had 92 kids sign up, but because of funding they had to turn some kids away. There is a music production club that meets after school that has more kids involved.
Date Submitted: February 2026 by Kilara Kent (2026 MTLA Intern) from an interview with Benjamin Jaeger