Eric Jao, aka DJ Enferno, has performed for over 3 million people in 36 countries, including touring with Madonna. His credits include official remixes for Linkin Park, The Peanuts Theme, and Party Rock Anthem, plus music for Cirque du Soleil’s MJ One in Las Vegas. Since 2015, Eric has taught music production to students ages 8–18 through online group classes, private lessons, and in-school programs, while also developing curriculum for upper elementary, middle, and high school music programs.
Eric Jao
- Northern Virginia Virginia United States
Eric Jao, also known as DJ Enferno, is DJ, musician, producer, and educator with more than 30 years of experience in music. He has performed for over 3 million people in 36 countries, including touring with Madonna as her DJ and programmer. His credits include official remixes for Linkin Park, The Peanuts Theme, and Party Rock Anthem, as well as music created for Cirque du Soleil’s MJ One in Las Vegas.
Eric first made his name in the nightclub and DJ battle scenes, winning the 2003 DMC USA Championship and placing second in the DMC World Championship in London. He later developed his Live Remix Project, a one-man-band performance setup built around Ableton Live, turntables, keyboards, pads, loops, synths, and live looping. That project get him noticed by Madonna’s music direction in 2008, changing the trajectory of his career.
In 2015, while still touring as a DJ, Eric expanded into music education through Mix Major, his music production program for kids and teens. Through his live online Mentorship Program, he teaches students ages 8–18 how to create music they love using Ableton Live, with classes ranging from beginner to advanced. Students learn music production, sound design, mixing, and mastering through interactive Zoom group classes. Eric also offers private Zoom lessons in music production and DJing.
With his assemblies, Eric teaches up to 400 K-8 kids at a time using Live, Push, Maschine, and DJ controller. Volunteers make beats, create chords, write melodies, and record vocals on-the-spot to create and remix music in real time. The kids think it’s a music studio, but it’s really a big classroom.
Today Eric’s sole focus is on music education. He co-created the Electronic Music ELEMENTS curriculum, which is used in almost 100 schools as of 2026. He also presents at conferences including TMEA, OMEA, NJMEA, and the Music Will Modern Band Summit to support other music educators. Eric has delivered keynotes for Berklee College of Music and the Virginia Department of Education, presented for the AME Institute and MAR-AMTA, and collaborated with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
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