Modern Band: Introduction to Popular Music Education
Date
June 8-July 31, 2026
Online
Asynchronous with four virtual meetings
Course Code
7226B
Credits
3
Tuition
$1,194
Course Description
This course is designed to help educators develop the essential skills needed to lead a student-centered Modern Band program. Educators will explore various aspects of popular music education, including performance preparation, live sound, equipment basics, student motivation, and show curation. The course emphasizes practical, real-world applications that will allow students to engage actively with the music and understand the music industry’s collaborative nature. Throughout the course, teachers will create project-based activities that directly translate to classroom implementation.
Course Format: Hybrid: Asynchronous with four virtual meetings. Virtual Meetings will be held on
All Virtual Meetings will meet for one hour and be held at 5:00. PST / 7:00 p.m. CST / 8:00 p.m. EST.
Instructor
Danielle is the Director of Arts, Media, & Entertainment for Inspire EDU. Formerly, she was the chair of the Music Media Entertainment Technology Department at the Academy for the Performing Arts at Huntington Beach High School where she taught Popular Music Production. She serves on the board for the CA Department of Education Career Technical Education Arts Media Entertainment, which hosts the AME institute for Career Tech Arts teachers in Burbank.
Danielle is also the President and co-founder of Pulse Percussion, a six-time world champion percussive arts group with over a dozen partners and sponsors. Pulse hosts three annual clinics, fundraising campaigns, and fields three performing groups. Pulse has been nationally recognized numerous times, most recently on America’s Got Talent in fall of 2023.
She has taught music education at several California State Universities and previously worked for the Los Angeles County Office of Education as a contract consultant. She has served on the board of California Band Directors Association as the Marketing and DEI Director and as the Innovations Chair for the CA Music Educators Association. Danielle was named one of Yamaha’s 40 Under 40 in 2022 and was awarded a NAfME Grant in 2018 for her work in Music Education.