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Jeanne Christensen (San Diego, California) is the Director of Bands at Mira Mesa High School in San Diego, California. She has taught instrumental music in the San Diego Unified School District for the past 34 years. The Band program at Mira Mesa High School is the largest in the school district and one of the largest in Southern California. Her teaching duties include Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, various small ensembles, along with two winter guards.
In addition to teaching, Mrs. Christensen is a leader within the State of California. She is Past President of the Southern CA School Band & Orchestra Association, is currently President-Elect for the California Band Directors Association, and is a Past-President of the Southern Border Section of CMEA. Mrs. Christensen is an adjudicator and frequent guest conductor for multiple district and state-level ensembles.
Mrs. Christensen has been honored to receive numerous awards over the years, which include the NFHS Outstanding Music Educator Award for California in 2022, the John Philip Sousa Legion of Honor Award in 2019, “50 Directors that Make a Difference” in 2018, and received the CMEA Band Educator Award in 2016.
Going to National and International events with her students has been a highlight throughout Mrs. Christensen’s career. She has traveled with the Mira Mesa HS Band ensembles to perform in the Opening Ceremonies of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in Australia, represented the State of California in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C., worked at The Juilliard School with the conductor of the Metropolitan Opera, performed at the United Nations in New York City, performed with her wind ensemble at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the Chicago Symphony Center, and won The Presidents Cup National Concert Band Festival. Mrs. Christensen was the first head female band director in California to march in the 2016 and 2022 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California.