J. L. Case
Jennifer Case has taught music in both public and private schools (K-12 and on the collegiate level) and holds a South Dakota Teaching Certificate. For the past fourteen years she has taught guitar, bass guitar, violin, piano, music theory, and orchestration at Case Music Studio (now Case School of Music), the private lesson studio she and her husband of 26 years, Chuck, own and operate. Jennifer served as the guitar instructor at both the University of Sioux Falls and Dordt College for a number of years. She also teaches classes for Sioux Falls Public School's Community Education Program.
Jennifer attended North Carolina School of the Arts and graduated from Western Carolina University with a B.S. Ed. in Music in 1986. She is a published writer with articles on drum construction and using technology in music education in the Percussive Arts Society's international magazine, Percussive Notes, and in Guitar Teacher Magazine on using special guitar techniques in teaching.
Over the years, Jennifer's students have been selected for top spots in the South Dakota All-State Jazz Band, Sioux Falls All-City High School Jazz Band and Middle School Jazz Band and have been awarded scholarships to the Jazz Fest Music Camp (Sioux Falls), Dordt College (Iowa), and McNally-Smith College of Music (St. Paul, MN).
As a member of the US Air Force Strategic Air Command Band (Omaha, Nebraska), Jennifer not only served as a band musician, but also served on the arranging staff and in band operations. Jennifer toured with the Tactical Air Command Band, (Langley, VA) and performed studio work with both the SAC Band in Omaha and the Military Airlift Command Band in Chicago, IL. During her single enlistment, she was awarded the Good Conduct and Achievement Medals, the NCO Course Honor Grad award, and awarded a Below-the-Zone promotion. Jennifer was a regularly featured soloist with the SAC Band performing for such dignitaries as President George H.W. Bush, First-Lady Nancy Reagan, Secretary of State George Schultz and General Colin Powell.
Over the years, Jennifer has performed with Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra Jr., Yo Yo Ma, Mercedes Ellington, Kansas, and many other artists. Nationally televised performances Jennifer has appeared in include performances with Glen Campbell and with the Strategic Air Command Band (US Air Force) Chamber Players. For the past 10 years she has performed as rhythm guitarist and musical director for the locally popular jazz groups the Blue Twilight Jazz Quartet and the West Coast Jazz Trio. These groups have been featured several times on local concert series and special events.
A versatile musician, Jennifer studied percussion with Jim Atwood (Louisiana Philharmonic), Jack Bell (Atlanta Symphony), Tom Freer (Cleveland Symphony), J. Massie Johnson (North Carolina School of the Arts/Brevard Music Center), Mario Gaetano (Western Carolina University); music theory and piano with Steve Shipps and Jackson Berkey (NC School of the Arts/Mannheim Steamroller); and violin with Sydney Baker (WCU) and Dr. Eunho Kim (USD). Jennifer has participated in master classes with Leigh Howard Stevens and Gordon Stout (marimba), and Steve Houghton (drumset). She studied jazz with Ron Rudkin at North Carolina School of the Arts. Jennifer has been a member of the Asheville (NC) Symphony Orchestra (percussion); Winston-Salem (NC) Symphony Orchestra (percussion); South Dakota Symphony (percussion); and the Augustana College (SD) and Community Orchestra (violin).
In 2012, Jennifer founded Case Studio Productions as the music publishing arm of Case School of Music. Case Studio Productions is committed to developing and publishing quality music for educational and instructional use and for personal enjoyment. She and her husband reside in the Sioux Falls area where they own and operate Case School of Music. They have one adult son, up and coming hockey writer, Dakota Case.
