Dr. Joani Somppi Brandon is a K-5 music educator at Red Rocks Elementary and Leawood Elementary in JeffCo Schools in the metro-Denver area.  She is a Professor of Music, Emeritus at Anderson University where she served for 22 years teaching choral and general methods courses and serving as the director of the summer graduate program.  She is a past president of the Feierabend Association for Music Education and a current member of the AOSA History Committee.

Joani completed her bachelor of arts degree in music education and piano performance, with honors in music and education, from Anderson University; her master's of music education from Butler University where she studied conducting and children’s choir methods with Henry Leck, director emeritus 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), Orff Schulwerk Certification, and Dalcroze training from Anderson University,  She completed her doctor of musical arts degree in 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.