Staff
Daniel Villanueva
Director of Bands
Born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Mr. Villanueva has traveled extensively across the United States to study, teach, and perform. In 2011 and 2012 he was chosen as one of two New Mexico representatives to play Horn for the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute hosted at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. In 2014, Daniel returned as a staff member and conducted a performance of Stravinsky's Soldiers Tale for a Kennedy Center Millennium Stage performance. Since 2015 he has worked as a music educator and conductor in both Texas and New Mexico teaching marching band, concert band, and jazz band at the High School level. After beginning his teaching career as an Assistant Director with the Westlake Chap Band in Austin, TX Mr. Villanueva moved south in Texas spending three years at Simon Rivera High School in Brownsville, TX. In 2019 he returned to New Mexico as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of New Mexico, recently graduating with a Masters of Music in Instrumental Conducting. Daniel is incredibly excited to be working with the wonderful students of the Volcano Vista Hawk Band.
Katie Rose Hand
Assistant Director
Katie Rose Hand is a trombonist from North Carolina where she graduated with a Bachelor’s of Music degree from the University of North Carolina in 2019. While at UNC, Katie Rose was a drum major for the Marching Tar Heels, and she was heavily involved in leadership within the band and music department. Since then, Katie Rose has worked as a fellow with ArtistYear, an AmeriCorps organization dedicated to placing teaching-artists in underserved schools to bolster arts education. In her free time, Katie Rose can be found riding her bike, hiking with her husband Chris, or baking with the help of her two cats, Spoon and Lasagna.
Emma Griego
Director of Color Guard
emma_gri@yahoo.com
Emma Griego, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been spinning and dancing for about 9 years. Emma has marched three years as guard captain with Arsenal Drum and Bugle Corp. She has also been an official cast member with Glory Independent Winter Guard located in El Paso, Texas. This has allowed for plenty of training on equipment including flag, rifle, and sabre! While Emma was completing her degree at The University of New Mexico, she was thoroughly involved in the dance department there. Emma has learned a wide variety of dance techniques and skills within her time there so that she can share that knowledge with young learners!
Logan Musel
Percussion Director
logan_musel@yahoo.com
Logan Musel is a percussionist from Northwest Iowa. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in percussion from The University of New Mexico. He received his bachelor's degrees in Music Education and Percussion Performance from Drake University in Des Moines Iowa. He has worked previously as a marching technician and percussion director for a handful of schools in the Greater Des Moines Metro. Logan has had the opportunity to perform in both classical and jazz idioms; credits include The Headliners, The New Mexico Philharmonic, Coro Lux, and The Karl King Band. When not playing or teaching, Logan enjoys riding his bike, fixing old drums, or playing Cornhole.