Hayden Ford joined Pacific Crest in 2016. The 2017 season will be his second season as a trumpet player. Hayden is a student at CSU Long Beach.
Tell us about your background and family.
Though I was born in San Diego, California, I grew up in Redondo Beach. I have one older sister named Hannah.
What brought you to Pacific Crest?
All throughout high school I played the clarinet, but at the beginning of my senior year it dawned on me that I would never be able to march again unless I learned to play a brass instrument in drum corps. From that moment I made it my goal to learn to play the trumpet and join Pacific Crest. I chose Pacific Crest because it was a local drum corps, and I had friends who had joined in previous years.
How did the Pacific Crest experience impact your life?
The 2016 summer with Pacific Crest was the most meaningful experience I’ve ever had. First of all it taught me the true meaning of dedication and accountability. It showed me how much inner strength I truly had inside me, and how much of that inner strength would be needed to get up every morning and be the best I could for the sake of the corps. The most amazing part about marching drum corps is the close bond you build with every single one of the members. At the beginning of the season I was reluctant to go on tour with 149 random people, but by the end of the season, I was reluctant to go home and leave my 149 newly found brothers and sisters.
How do you think Pacific Crest will affect your future goals and plans?
Pacific Crest has had an incredible impact on my ability to play music, and I truly believe this is because it’s taught me how to put every ounce of my being into every performance. Though I am currently studying Chemical Engineering at California State University Long Beach and do not plan to pursue music as a career, I plan to play music forever, and my lessons at Pacific Crest will always follow me for the rest of my life.
Is there anything else you want to say about yourself, your life, the people who have most influenced and inspired you?
I have always had a strong love for music, but drum corps has that love. And in addition to that, I have discovered some of my closest friends in my first season of drum corps.
Is there something you’d like others to know about Pacific Crest?
Pacific Crest is an amazing program, and is accepting of anyone and everyone! As a member, you are guaranteed to make a new family and to have the time of your life. For those still eligible to march, please do. Though it will be the most difficult and stressful time of your life, you will earn 149 new family members and you won’t regret the experience.
