About the Band Staff
Mr. Daniel Mullen
Email: MULLEND@pearlandisd.org
Mr. Mullen is in his first year as director of bands for the Pearland South and Jamison Bands. Prior to his appointment in Pearland, he taught for eleven years in the Pasadena ISD, two years in the Round Rock ISD and six years in the the Waller ISD. He has also served as the director of bands at Riverside High School in Durham, North Carolina for one year.
He is a native of Pittsburgh, PA and began teaching in Texas in 2005. He has a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Virginia Tech and a B.S. in Music Education from Indiana University of PA. He completed his Master’s Degree in Educational Administration with principal’s certification from Lamar University in the summer of 2015.
Mr. Mullen was a founding and four-year member of the Golden Lancers, a DCI division III drum and bugle corps from Pittsburgh, PA, winning the best drum major award in 1995. He also served as the brass caption head for the division III General Butler Vagabonds, leading the hornline to a brass title in 2000.
Mr. Mullen will conduct the honors band and the beginning flute and trumpet classes. He lives in the Pearland area with his wife, two children, and dog Hazel.
Mr. Dennis Peña
Email: penada@pearlandisd.org
Mr. Pena graduated from Sam Houston State University in 2022 and spent a couple of years in Aldine ISD
before moving to Pearland ISD. This will be his third year teaching.
Mr. Pena's primary instrument is clarinet and enjoys playing it professionally. He plays in The Sugar Land Winds and The Spring ISD Alumni community bands. Mr. Pena has performed at many conventions like The Midwest Clinic, TMEA and TBA twice.
During his free time, Mr. Pena likes to play video games, watch sports, go to the gym and find new restaurants with his friends. Mr. Pena's favorites includes Cookies and Cream ice cream, his mom's homemade pupusas and all Houston teams (GO STROS). Mr. Pena likes to relax on the weekends and watch a good football or soccer game.
If Mr. Pena was not a band director, he would choose to be a meteorologist.
Mr. Brandon Ortega
Email: ortegab@pearlandisd.org
Mr. Ortega is a clarinetist from Fort Worth who attended the University of Houston to study Music Education. He began his career as a band director in Fort Worth for two years at Brewer Middle School. He recently married and is now living in Houston to begin his third year of teaching here at PJHS and JMS. He loves to play board games and video games with his friends and spouse. Mr. Ortega loves to play his instrument, and loves to teach music.