The Audition Experience is virtual for 2021. Please familiarize yourself with the details below before registering.

A Virtual Audition Experience

Access our Virtual Studio Library:
70+ lessons, including demonstration videos, audition packets, and sheet music!
Submit a video for initial evaluation
Take a 30-minute private lesson with a Pacific Crest instructor
Audition live for Pacific Crest instructors

2021 FAQ

READ: Information for 2021 prospective performers →

How do the auditions work?

Your 2021 audition starts with your access to Pacific Crest Virtual Studio, our library of educational and performance-related content. The audition experience should take approximately five weeks from start to finish. Refer to the chart showing the six steps.

Step 1: Register.

Step 2: Study and practice the materials in the Virtual Studio Library

Step 3: Submit a video based on your section requirements. What to prepare →

Step 4: You will be contacted to schedule a private lesson, where one of our instructors will work with you based on your video submission.

Step 5: Prepare for your audition based on feedback from your private lesson.

Step 6: Schedule your live online audition. What to prepare →

The bottom line: We want to provide the safest space possible to demonstrate your skills. You should be able to complete the audition experience in five weeks; however, you can take another week or two to get it right. In short, we want you to be successful.

Ready to register? Click HERE →

After my audition, what comes next?

We plan to make decisions on a rolling basis. You can expect to hear from us anytime between the end of your audition and January 31, 2021. The sooner you sign up, the more time you have to work through the process.

What is the deadline?

We recommend that you submit your video project by December 31, but no later than January 10. This will leave enough time to schedule your audition before the January 31 decision date. If you are ready earlier, however, go for it.

With so much uncertainty, what am I actually auditioning for?

Pacific Crest will perform next summer, whether or not a DCI season exists. We expect to produce a drum corps ensemble of 76 brass, 40 color guard, 35 percussion, and 3 drum majors.

Drum Corps International (DCI) should have more clarity by January about whether and what type of tour is possible. We will determine our course of action around that time, as well. If we cannot produce a large ensemble due to restrictions, we will experiment with other creative performance opportunities.

When would we start anything in person?

We will likely pause in-person activity until late spring 2021. During the winter and early spring, we expect to rehearse online. In-person rehearsal camps could start Memorial Weekend, followed by Spring Training and tour — again all depending on what is possible due to pandemic restrictions.

2021 Information

Performer Handbook →

Staff →

2021 Schedule At-a-Glance

(Updated 12/3/2020) We intend to perform at the DCI events in Indianapolis on August 12, 13, and 14, 2021. We also expect to develop local performances in Southern California during July, that adhere to pandemic restrictions in place at the time. And if pandemic restrictions lift and DCI schedules additional events, we will perform at those events if appropriate and safe.

For now, please plan to hold open the following dates. To clarify, we do not know what our season has in store for us. We are simply asking you to hold these dates with the associated “placeholder” events, for now.

Rehearsal Camp – 9 am Saturday, June 5 to 6 pm Sunday, June 6
Rehearsal Camp – 9 am Saturday, June 12 to 6 pm Sunday, June 13
Move-In – Saturday, June 19
Return Home – Sunday, August 15 *

* Members will make their own flight reservations to and from tour. We will have more details about this in early spring of 2021.

Program Costs

(Updated 12/3/2020) Our current projected tuition is $2,950, or less. The cost per performer is much higher but thanks to our Board of Directors, we can subsidize a lot of it — even without being able to host our largest event, the Rose Bowl show. The main unknown factor is where we can hold our spring training. Once we resolve that, we will determine its impact on tuition.

You should plan for other expenses, as well, including airfare to and from tour and some supplies, e.g.brass mouthpieces, costume undergarments, shoes, etc.

LINK: Details of Fees and Policies TBA

Connect With Us

Join the 2021 Pacific Crest Interest Group on Facebook to meet other applicants and current members of the corps.