• Grades 9-12
• No Prerequisites

Discover the limitless possibilities of music and sound! The growing world of Music Innovation brings together music industry and STEM to create impactful experiences for audiences and users. Through this class, you’ll gain foundational experiences in creating and mixing music, scoring for games and film, and building your own digital instrument. To end the semester, you’ll design your own musical project or product based on your personal passions and interests. Whether you’re hoping to build industry-standard production skills, push the boundaries of how we interact with music, or explore what the Music Innovation focus area has to offer, this class is for you. No prior experience required!

• Grades 9-12
• Prerequisite: Intro to Music Innovation CTE86410 OR Music Technology MU2021 from home high school OR instructor approval

Record and mix music like a pro! Audio engineering sits at the heart of the music industry, shaping the sound of every song, movie, video game, and live performance you hear. Join us for this hands-on course, where you’ll learn industry-standard studio software and develop your engineering abilities  through real recording and mixing work. You’ll build foundational competency in Pro Tools— with the opportunity to earn the nationally recognized Avid Pro Tools Specialist certification—and gain basic live sound skills you can apply in real performance contexts. Whether you’re hoping to produce your own tracks, run live shows from behind the board, or pursue a future in professional audio, this class will help you become a skilled, confident audio engineer.

• Grades 9-12
• No prerequisites

Learn, write, and play the music you love! Learn, write, and play the music you love! Behind every song you stream, concert you attend, and artist you follow is a creative process that combines writing craft, performance skills, and a working knowledge of music business. Join us for this hands-on course, where you’ll discover songwriting fundamentals, prepare for live shows, and learn how artists promote their work and build a career. You’ll put your semester learning into action through an original song demo, an artist development plan, and solo or small band performances. Whether you’re hoping to write your own songs, take the stage as a performer, or explore a future as an independent artist, this class will help you on your journey to become a confident, well-rounded musician.

• Grades 9-12
• Prerequisite: Intro to Music Innovation CTE86410 OR Music Technology MU2021 OR Instructor Approval

Every unforgettable film and video game moment is powered by music and sound. Join us for this hands-on course, where you’ll compose original scores to picture, record and design your own effects and Foley, and create adaptive music that changes with gameplay in real time. You’ll learn the same workflows working composers and designers use—from spotting a scene to building audio that responds to a player’s choices—in industry-standard studio software and interactive game tools. You’ll put your semester learning into action through sprint-based production projects built for your creative portfolio. Whether you’re hoping to score for the screen, craft the sound of new game worlds, or explore a future in interactive audio, this class will help you become a bold, versatile storyteller in sound.

• Grades 9-12
• Prerequisite: Any ONE  of the following: Intro to Music Innovation CTE86410, Design Doodling with DaVinci CTE86107, Introduction to Games CTE83230, Introduction to Video Production CTE86130, OR Instructor Approval

Step inside the show! From wraparound concert venues to walk-through art installations, immersive experiences are transforming how audiences encounter music, sound, lighting, and video—and this is one of the fastest-growing fields in entertainment. Join us for this hands-on course, where you’ll mix spatial audio that surrounds the listener, craft visuals that react to sound in real time, and connect sensors that let people shape what they see and hear. Each module gives you a working foundation, accessible at any level and grounded in the tools professionals use. You’ll then team up to design and build an original interactive installation of your own. Whether you’re hoping to shape tomorrow’s concerts, create art that responds to its audience, or explore a future in creative technology, this class will help you become an immersive experience innovator.

• Grades 10-12
• Prerequisite: Music Recording & Engineering CTE86415 AND Instructor Approval

Take the next step in your music production career!  Work-based learning in audio engineering bridges the gap between classroom foundations and the fast-paced demands of studio and live production. Join us for this advanced internship, where you’ll serve as a resident sound engineer at The Innovation Center’s state-of-the-art recording studio, and events throughout the community. You’ll lead tracking and mixing sessions—from acoustic capture to final mix delivery—for student and community artists, manage front-of-house and monitor mixes for performances and events, and refine client communication on active production teams. Working alongside industry partners and mentors, you’ll put your technical expertise into practice through real project deliverables. Whether you’re hoping to master studio recording workflows, run sound for live stages, or build your portfolio, this internship will help you prepare for authentic work in the industry!

Music Innovation will have 3 unique spaces in the new building: a traditional recording studio live room, a classroom/mixing room, and a fabrication space. In this dedicated area, students can work with professional level equipment and gain real world experiences as they create, mix, produce, and design music, sound, and innovative gear.

Students in the Intro to Music Innovation class in spring 2026 used the human-centered Design Thinking Process to build their own custom electronic instrument! They considered a performance problem, explored how they could solve it with a new instrument, then used Arduino microcontrollers and sensors to construct a functional prototype. Read more about it here!

Our St. Vrain Magazine recently created an article highlighting our work within Music Innovation. Click here to read it and learn more about how our programming has positively impacted students across SVVSD and beyond!

Our unique summer programming is created and taught by our Symphonation Project Team, and gives a perfect opportunity to explore Music Innovation in a fun, dynamic, and engaging environment. Watch the video below to see examples of work from Composing Innovation, our 6th – 12th grade music industry focused camp. We also have camps for 3rd – 5th and 6th – 8th graders focused on the STEM of Music and Sound. 

• Parent Testimonial: “We had a wonderful experience with the Composing Innovation Music Camp! My son, a rising 6th grader last summer, and every other child there found success—each in their own way. The camp offered many creative paths, from different music styles to technology, all culminating in a Friday performance after four full days. The diversity of the performances was especially impressive. By Tuesday, my son had decided to learn the drums and joined a band. In just a few days, he learned the full drum part to a favorite Coldplay song and performed it with two guitarists and a keyboardist, even incorporating a computer track to add another instrument. I was floored by what they accomplished. The instructors were patient, energetic, and truly wonderful with kids, creating a fun and supportive environment where creativity thrived. The camp struck a perfect balance between structure and freedom, allowing kids to explore instruments, technology, songwriting, and performance based on their own interests. My son came home excited every day and couldn’t wait to return. I highly recommend this camp to any parent looking for a positive, enriching, and confidence-building experience for their child.”

The eTown Academy was a unique partnership between The Innovation Center, eTown Hall, and CU Denver faculty.

The Symphonation Project Team has engaged in demonstration and mentoring sessions for Timberline PK-8 on multiple occasions, helping make connections between science, music, and sound through the field of biodata sonification.