Pacific Crest Youth Arts Organization

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Studio Series

30-Minute Lessons
Single – $30
6-Pack – $150 ($25 per lesson)
12-Pack – $288 ($24 per lesson)
45-Minute Lessons
Single – $40
6-Pack – $240 ($35 per lesson)
12-Pack – $396 ($33 per lesson)
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Professional Series

45-Minute Lessons
Single – $70
6-Pack – $420 ($70 per lesson)
12-Pack – $780 ($65 per lesson)
One-Hour Lessons
Single – $85
6-Pack – $510 ($85 per lesson)
12-Pack – $960 ($80 per lesson)
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Lessons

Studio Series:
Brass: Trumpet, Mellophone, French Horn, Trombone, Baritone, Euphonium, Tuba
Woodwinds: Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone
Concert Percussion: Mallets, Snare Drum, Drum Set
Marching Percussion: Mallets, Snare Drum, Tenors, Bass Drum

Professional Series:
Flute, French Horn, Drum Set

Instructors

BRASS

WOODWINDS

PERCUSSION

 

Professional Series Instructors

Sign Up with Smitty Sign Up with Beckie Sign Up with Shannon
Andrew Fresquez
Trombone
Andrew Fresquez

ANDREW FRESQUEZ spent his drum corps career at Pacific Crest, playing baritone from 2014-2016, and moving on to take the role of assistant drum major in 2017 and served as the Head Drum Major during his age-out season in 2018. He also served as a Drum Major for the 2019 Pacific Crest Rose Parade Ensemble.

Andrew is currently studying Music Performance on Bass Trombone at California State University, Fullerton. After, he plans to pursue his teaching credential. He also holds an A.A in Music and Social & Behavioral Studies from Riverside City College.

He currently works with Etiwanda High School as a music instructor, and Rancho Cucamonga High School as a visual instructor.

Andrew resides in Fullerton, California.

Bobby Bonslater
Trumpet

Bobby-BonslaterBOBBY BONSLATER is an educator, designer, and performer residing in Chicago, IL, offering specialized school performing arts academies to expose young inner-city students to instrumental, choral, technology, and general music to better prepare them to be productive members of high school and college programs as well as their community ensembles.

Bobby has had the pleasure of performing with and teaching many DCI and DCA drum and bugle corps, including Racine Scouts, Americanos, East Coast Jazz, Madison Scouts, Kilties, Chops, and Govenaires. His WGI experience includes Americanos Indoor, Pioneer Indoor, Chops Indoor Percussion, Eagan High School, and Phoenix Drumline.

He is an active performing member of the Chicago Bears Drumline and is the Founder of Bonslater Creative Designs and Founder of the Chicago Youth Arts Organization. He has recently been awarded the Superior Ratings and top honors for WGI’s 2020 and 2021 Solo and Ensemble for both Trumpet and Clarinet in the 19+ category.

 

Joelle Varner
Tuba

JOELLE VARNER is a band director at Dahlstrom Middle School in Buda, Texas. She was born and raised in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Joelle holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Delaware with a tuba concentration and a voice minor. She also holds a master’s in music education from Texas State University. Prior to her current position, Joelle taught elementary band and orchestra in Maryland and middle school band, chorus, general music, and musical theatre in New Jersey.

Joelle marched tuba with the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps in 2012 and conducted the corps in 2013. She also marched cymbals in WGI in 2014 with United Percussion. Joelle has served as a brass and visual instructor for several drum corps, including Raiders, Pacific Crest, and Blue Stars, and for high school bands in PA, MD, NJ, and TX. Currently, she works with the Moe & Gene Johnson High School Marching Band in Buda, TX. Joelle resides in Kyle, TX.

Matt Miller
Baritone, Euphonium

MATT MILLER is an active composer and arranger for marching ensembles throughout Southern California. He holds a Master of Music degree in film scoring from the University of Southern California as well as a Bachelor of Music degree in music composition from California State University, Long Beach.

Matt marched five years with the Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps (2015-2019) as a euphonium soloist and section leader, receiving the Brass Member of the Year award during his age-out summer. He also performed with Dark Sky Percussion in 2016 as a member of the cymbal line. Since 2016, Matt has taught as a music and visual instructor at Gahr High School in Cerritos, CA. He joined the Pacific Crest brass team in 2022.

Michael Ma
French Horn

MICHAEL MA is a native of Camarillo, CA and currently resides in Orange County while attending Chapman University. He is an alumni of Pacific Crest, where he marched from 2014-2016 and was mellophone section leader in 2016. As a performer, he has played in many college football and NFL stadiums across the country.

After marching with Pacific Crest, he became interested in pursuing a career in music performance, and later fell in love with teaching. He graduated from Chapman University with a Bachelor of Music degree in French horn performance and music education, and will soon begin his master’s and credential in education at Chapman University.

In addition to the French horn, Michael has played several other instruments, including the flute and alto sax. He has performed in two choir tours in Europe, which landed him in prestigious venues such as the Vatican in Rome. Fun fact: Michael was a competitive bowler for 14 years before his music career.

Star Wasson
French Horn, Mellophone

STAR WASSON is a French horn player based out of Redlands, CA, where she completed her bachelor’s degree in Music Performance at the University of Redlands. She began her performance career in Austin, TX and continued performing on the field with Music City Drum Corps (2015-2016) and The Bluecoats (2017).

Although her degree is in performance, Star takes pride in her work as an educator. She puts great emphasis on ensuring that her students see growth in themselves throughout their seasons, regardless of their individual starting abilities. Star is currently the Visual and Brass Caption Head at Jurupa Hills HS and A.B. Miller HS, and is on the visual staff at Rancho Cucamonga HS.

Outside of teaching and performing, Star enjoys rock climbing, yoga, knitting, and spending time with her cat Minerva.

Zach Sheller
Baritone, Euphonium, Trombone, Tuba

ZACH SHELLER is currently studying music education with a minor in business management at the University of Texas at Arlington. He is principal euphonium for the UTA Wind Symphony and was a drum major in the Maverick Marching Band in 2017 before serving as an undergraduate assistant in 2018. Zach started marching with the Madison Scouts in 2012 as a baritone and euphonium player before serving as a drum major from 2015 through 2017.

Zach was raised in the greater Austin area and currently lives in Arlington, TX. He has been a private lesson teacher and marching tech in both the greater Austin and Dallas Fort Worth areas, serving as a visual instructor for Vista Ridge High School, Birdville High School, Coppell High School, and currently with Centennial High School in Burleson, Texas. Along with teaching, he spent the summer of 2018 with the Seattle Cascades as an administrative assistant and leadership consultant.

Bobby Bonslater
Clarinet

Bobby-BonslaterBOBBY BONSLATER is an educator, designer, and performer residing in Chicago, IL, offering specialized school performing arts academies to expose young inner-city students to instrumental, choral, technology, and general music to better prepare them to be productive members of high school and college programs as well as their community ensembles.

Bobby has had the pleasure of performing with and teaching many DCI and DCA drum and bugle corps, including Racine Scouts, Americanos, East Coast Jazz, Madison Scouts, Kilties, Chops, and Govenaires. His WGI experience includes Americanos Indoor, Pioneer Indoor, Chops Indoor Percussion, Eagan High School, and Phoenix Drumline.

He is an active performing member of the Chicago Bears Drumline and is the Founder of Bonslater Creative Designs and Founder of the Chicago Youth Arts Organization. He has recently been awarded the Superior Ratings and top honors for WGI’s 2020 and 2021 Solo and Ensemble for both Trumpet and Clarinet in the 19+ category.

 

Michael Ma
Flute, Saxophone

MICHAEL MA is a native of Camarillo, CA and currently resides in Orange County while attending Chapman University. He is an alumni of Pacific Crest, where he marched from 2014-2016 and was mellophone section leader in 2016. As a performer, he has played in many college football and NFL stadiums across the country.

After marching with Pacific Crest, he became interested in pursuing a career in music performance, and later fell in love with teaching. He graduated from Chapman University with a Bachelor of Music degree in French horn performance and music education, and will soon begin his master’s and credential in education at Chapman University.

In addition to the French horn, Michael has played several other instruments, including the flute and alto sax. He has performed in two choir tours in Europe, which landed him in prestigious venues such as the Vatican in Rome. Fun fact: Michael was a competitive bowler for 14 years before his music career.

Alexis Vargas
Snare

ALEXIS VARGAS is an educator and designer based in the Inland Empire of Southern California.

Alexis has previously worked with Temescal Canyon HS and with the Vanguard Cadets in 2022. He is currently working with Arlington HS, Del Norte HS, and Valley View HS.

His marching experience includes Gold in 2016, Orange County Independent Percussion in 2017, and Vessel Indoor Percussion in 2018 and 2020.

Alexis is also a recent graduate of the University of California Riverside where he majored in political science with a minor in philosophy.

Christian Brown
Mallets

CHRISTIAN BROWN is a Music Education major at the University of Texas at El Paso based in El Paso, TX under the direction of Dr. Andy P. Smith. He has extensive drum corps experience that started in 2016 as a performer with Horizon DBC, Oregon Crusaders, Crossmen and the 2022 DCI silver medalist, the Boston Crusaders.  His performance continues in WGI with Sun City Indoor (2019) and Monarch Independent Percussion (2022, 2023).  Christian has performed in the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) as both a chamber ensemble performer, and as a solo marimba performer for several years.

Currently, he serves as the Front Ensemble Coordinator for Pebble Hills HS in El Paso, TX, under percussion director, Dan Hunt.  He is also a front ensemble consultant in the El Paso area for various high schools, most recently giving his “Coast To Coast Front Ensemble Approach” clinic presentation at the University of Texas at El Paso.  He arranges small chamber percussion ensembles for various organizations which are performed by himself and fellow colleagues.

He is currently a member of Percussive Arts Society (PAS) and a member of the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), where he will be participating in the  college chamber ensemble performance group.  Christian has studied under Dr. Andy P. Smith, Dr. Ian Moyer, Dr. Lane Summerlin, Andy Filipiak and Art Avila Jr.

Dominick Villaverde
Bass

DOMINICK VILLAVERDE has been involved with marching percussion since 2014. Graduating from Diamond Bar High School in 2017, he went on to obtain a degree in Pure Mathematics from Cal Poly Pomona in the Spring of 2021 with a specification in Secondary Teaching, along with continuing his involvement in the marching arts. From there, he marched with DCI groups Pacific Crest (2016-2017), Mandarins (2019), Blue Devils (2020), as well as WGI groups POW Percussion (2018) and Broken City (2019-2022).

Since graduating in 2017, Dominick has taught a handful of groups throughout the Southern California area, including North Torrance HS, El Modena HS, Diamond Bar HS, Claremont HS, Nogales HS, Etiwanda HS, and currently La Quinta HS, El Dorado HS, and Vista Murrieta HS. He has also gone on to teach DCI groups Gold and Blue Devils B, as well as helping design visual aesthetics for both Meraki Percussion and Glendora HS.

Eric Shriver
Snare, Tenors, Bass

ERIC SHRIVER is a Percussion Educator and Designer based in Southern California. He performed with the Bluecoats, Pulse Percussion, Black Knights, Pacific Crest, and RCC Marching Band. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music (Industry Studies) from California Polytechnic University (Pomona, CA).

Currently, he serves as the the Percussion Director and Battery Designer at a number of local high schools, including Etiwanda, Rancho Cucamonga, South Torrance, and West Torrance — as well as at Gold Indoor Percussion.

His work with drum corps is extensive: he has served as snare tech at Bluecoats and Cavaliers, Percussion Caption Head and Battery Arranger at Blue Stars, and recently was the Percussion Caption Head and Battery Arranger at Gold. Some of his WGI teaching experiences include Snare Tech/Ensemble Coordinator at Pulse Percussion and Battery Arranger for Élan Percussion.

Eric serves on the Southern California Percussion Alliance (SCPA) Classification Committee. He is a co-owner and designer at Front2Back Music (front2backmusic.com), a company that creates shows for marching bands and indoor ensembles. He is also the Owner/Creator of the “The Build-Up Method,” which is a set of rudimental percussion practice methods using logical skill building exercises and audio tracks.

Eric lives in Rancho Cucamonga, California, with his wife Amanda, daughter Charlotte, dog Sammy, and cat Luna.

Steven Vonderohe
Mallets, Drum Set

Steven-Vonderohe Ensemble InstructorSTEVEN VONDEROHE is a musician, educator, and composer in the southwest suburbs of Chicago who is devoted to sharing and advancing the art of music and the percussive arts.

Since receiving his bachelor’s degree in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music, he has actively taught in a variety of settings, from public high schools and middle schools to lesson studios and independent ensembles. As an educator in the Illinois marching community, Steven works at Romeoville HS as Front Ensemble Instructor and Arranger, and also serves as Ensemble Director and Arranger at Pi Percussion, an independent WGI ensemble.

As a performer, Steven has played with orchestras, chamber ensembles, jazz combos, pop/rock bands, drum lines, choirs, and musical productions, and is able to approach each situation with a high level of professionalism and passion. He is also a seasoned performer in the Drum Corps activity, where he spent five seasons playing marimba with the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps.

Currently, Steven performs on tenors with the Bulls’ Stampede Drum Line, plays drum set with his band AM/FM in the greater Chicago area, and writes/produces his own music as a solo pianist and percussionist.

Terrell Mister-Wilson
Tenors

Bio coming soon

Marvin “Smitty” Smith
Drum Set

Marvin-Smitty-Smith Private Lesson - Drum SetSign Up with Smitty

MARVIN “SMITTY” SMITH was born June 24, 1961 in Waukegan (Illinois). “It was a very natural inclination for me to play drums,” says Smith, known by many as Smitty. A glance at his early life validates that truth.

Born the son of a drummer, Marvin Sr., he was always surrounded by music in the house. At six months old, he would climb up on the large lounge chair positioned directly in front of his father’s drum set and watch him practice, intensely. Whenever his father took a break, he would crawl over and press the foot pedals and attempt to emulate his dad. That experience, and banging on pots and pans, was the extent of his playing until he began formal training at the age of three.

Today, Marvin Smitty Smith is a musician extraordinaire whose work has been described as a “comment on invention, firm and adventurous time and technical sufficiency.” He has traveled extensively throughout Asia, Europe, and the continental USA; and he has toured with varied musical artists such as Sonny Rollins, Frank Foster and Frank Wess, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Branford Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Sting, Dave Holland, M-BASE, Kevin Eubanks, Norman Brown, and Dean Brown. He is a former member of the Ron Carter Quartet, the New York Jazz Quartet, the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet, Steve Coleman and Five Elements, the M-BASE Collective, the Dave Holland Quintet/Quartet, and is currently a member of the Kevin Eubanks Group, and co-leads the Swingin’ and Groovin’ Collective, with Jacques Lesure.

He is featured on more than 350 albums, additional performances, and recordings augmented with Terence Blanchard and Donald Harrison, Ray Brown and Phineas Newborn, George Shearing, Bobby Watson, Hamiet Bluiett, Branford Marsalis, David Murray, Emily Remler, Peter Leitch, Kevin Eubanks, Donald Byrd, Monty Alexander, Joyce, Willie Nelson, Diane Reeves, Michel Camilo, Billy Childs, Grover Washington Jr., Bruce Forman, and Dean Brown.

Smitty conducts seminars and clinics for students in jazz workshops, both in the United States and Europe, and was on the staff of the jazz program at the Banff Centre of Fine Arts, Canada, and Drummers Collective, New York City. Smitty has been Downbeat Critics’ Poll winner for Talent Deserving Wider Recognition from 1985 through 1987, and again in 1989. Smitty performed on the soundtrack of filmmaker Spike Lee’s “School Daze” and the film “This Christmas”. He also appeared in Sonny Rollins’ documentary “Saxophone Colossus” and was a member of Sting’s “Nothing Like the Sun” South American tour, 1987.

Regarded as a well-rounded musician with the ability to play all styles, Marvin Smitty Smith is a formidable composer and arranger, and his success has earned him two albums as a bandleader: “Keeper of the Drums” (1987) and “The Road Less Traveled” (1989). Smitty relocated to Los Angeles in 1995 and worked as a member of the Tonight Show Band under music director Kevin Eubanks from 1995-2010. Since then, he’s toured and/or recorded with Azar Lawrence, Norman Brown, Delfeayo Marsalis, Jacques Lesure and Dean Brown, and composed two songs on Dean Brown’s 2012 release, “Unfinished Business”, as well as two songs on Dean’s 2015 release, “RoLaJaFuFu”. As a versatile drummer, there seems to be nothing he cannot do. It’s been said that he is the “John Coltrane of the drums.”

Beckie Euson
French Horn

Beckie-Euson- Private Lessons - French HornSign Up with Beckie

BECKIE EUSON is a freelance French horn performer and private music teacher in Southern California. Beckie studied French horn as a Gluck Fellow with the Herb Alpert School of Music at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she holds a Masters degree in French horn performance. She also has two bachelor’s degrees from Chapman University in Music Education and Music Performance on French horn.

Beckie is the first chair of the Santa Clarita Philharmonic, principal horn of Mission Opera as well as the contractor, and principal horn with Grace Baptist Orchestra. In addition to performing, Beckie is also a private music teacher, general music teacher at a local elementary school, brass coach for three local high schools, and has her own private studio where she teaches online and in-person in her home studio.

Shannon Canchola
Flute

Shannon Canchola Professional - fluteSign Up with Shannon

SHANNON CANCHOLA is a versatile flute performer from Southern California who has performed in a variety of different ensembles, including the Redlands Symphony, California Philharmonic, Kaleidoscope Orchestra, Los Angeles Sinfonietta, Desert Symphony, Valley Opera & Performing Arts, and NUMI Opera Orchestra. She has recorded and performed with many iconic musicians including Grammy Award Winner Ariana Grande, Grammy Award Winner John Daversa, Grammy Nominated Michel Weir, international cellist Tina Guo, youtube violinist Taylor Davis, and Iranian popstars Aref Arefkia and Leila Forouhar. Shannon has many commercial music credits for both recording and performing, including being a member of World of Warcraft composer Jason Hayes’ video game tribute band “Critical Hit.” She has also recorded for many films, albums, and theme park rides, and performed with Nintendo Company for their 50th anniversary of Super Mario as a hired musician, to name a few notable experiences.

In addition to her solo career, she has had numerous small ensemble performances with her chamber ensemble, ACE Trio. The trio won the 2018 Beverly Hills National Auditions chamber ensemble competition and has participated in a multitude of recital series including at the Brand Library, Music by the Sea Series in Encinitas, The Interludes in Torrance, Pasadena City College Guest Artist Series, and Wrightwood Classical Concert Series. In the summer of 2019, they were deemed the Music Teacher Association of California’s guest artist for their convention in Santa Clara where they performed a recital, held master classes, and premiered a triple concerto composed by their own member, Ryan Glass, for the final concert. ACE Trio recorded their first album in the spring of 2020, featuring music by Astor Piazzolla.

Shannon obtained her MM in flute performance at Cal State Northridge studying with Heather Clark, where she won first place for the Cal State Northridge Concerto Competition. She obtained her BA at the University of Redlands in flute performance studying with Sara Andon and studied with Jamie Pedrini at Pasadena City College beforehand. In addition to performing, Shannon is also the Professor of Flute at Cal Poly Pomona University, Citrus College, and Los Angeles Pierce College teaches an additional private studio at home, and holds weekly flute masterclasses with numerous high schools. In the springtime, she is also an official adjudicator for the Music Teachers Association of California and for the San Diego Flute Guild Festival and is continuously invited to give master classes to art schools and colleges throughout California. Shannon has been teaching privately for over a decade and her students have moved on to win principal positions in youth orchestras and honor bands, as well as winning positions in the Tournament of Roses Honor Band since 2016. Other students of hers have moved on to become music majors in many prestigious colleges including Indiana University.