Dr. Joani Somppi Brandon, has been working at Anderson University since 1998 and serves as a Professor of Music, teaching music education general/choral methods, and Women’s Chorus. Joani is the former director of the Anderson Area Children’s Choir Chorale (1999-2011). The nine years prior, Joani taught music at Clay Middle School in Carmel, Indiana. She previously served as a middle school choral director for three years in Wilmington, Ohio where she received the Sallie Mae First Year Teacher of the Year award and was in top ten first-year teachers in the state of Ohio.
Joani completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education and Piano Performance, with honors in music and education, from Anderson University in 1987. In 1995, she completed her Masters of Music Education from Butler University where she studied conducting and children’s choir methods with Henry Leck, director of the Indianapolis Children’s Choir. Joani has also studied conducting with at the Choral Music Institute with Doreen Rao and Barbara Tagg. Joani has Kodaly Certification from the Hartt School, University of Hartford (Connecticut) and Orff Schulwerk Certification from Anderson University, where she also serves as the program director for the Orff Schulwerk program. She completed Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 2013 from Boston University and her research interests include teacher training in elementary music education methodologies. She has worked with all ages of singers from early elementary to adults and is a frequent clinician and guest conductor. Joani is a member of the national and state chapters of the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, American Orff-Schulwerk Association, and is past repertoire chair of the Elementary and Middle School Divisions for the Indiana School Music Association. She is actively involved in church music at Park Place Church of God, where she serves as Sanctuary Choir director. Joani has two sons, Jonathon and James.