Mr. Dan Taguchi retired in June of 2017 after a thirty-eight-year teaching career. He spent the final eight years of his career as Director of Instrumental Music at Hale Charter Academy in Woodland Hills, where he taught Mariachi, Band, Orchestra, Winds, Strings, and Jazz Ensemble. Hale Jazz Ensembles under Mr. Taguchi’s direction consistently earned Superior Ratings at festival. Hale was chosen as a finalist in the 2012 Monterey Next Generation Festival.
Prior to his arrival at Hale, Mr. Taguchi spent fifteen years on the faculty of the Hamilton Academy of Music, where he taught Mariachi, Jazz Ensemble, Advanced Placement Music Theory, Guitar Ensemble, and Musical Theater Pit Orchestra. Jazz Ensembles under his direction have performed at a number of prestigious venues, including the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Playboy Jazz Festival, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and earned numerous awards at local and national festivals. Mariachis under Mr. Taguchi’s direction have performed at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, and earned numerous awards at local festivals.
Mr. Taguchi has served as an adjudicator, clinician, presenter, and guest conductor for a number of schools and music organizations. A woodwind specialist, he has performed with many prestigious groups, including the UCLA and CSUN Jazz Ensembles. Mr. Taguchi has earned many awards, including the 2005 Music Center Bravo Award, the 2006 Cherry Blossom Festival Teachers Making A Difference Award, the 2009 K-Jazz 88.1 Educator of the Year Award, the 2014 National Life Group Life Changer of the Year Award, and the 2017 Southern California Band and Orchestra Association Gold Award. Mr. Taguchi is a 2015 inductee into the Los Angeles Unified School District Education Hall of Fame.