Pacific Crest is, at its core, the travel sport of marching band — a touring performance ensemble of 165 highly accomplished young performers, ages 16–21, who train and travel together from early June through mid-August on a national tour. Each summer, Pacific Crest produces one of those performances at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena.
The ensemble and the event it anchors make everything else possible: just as the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s education programs are built around a world-class orchestra, Pacific Crest’s education and outreach programs are built around a world-class performing ensemble — one that gives students something genuinely extraordinary to aspire to and learn from.
Those programs include multi-day Arts Education Camps, where high school students work directly with teaching artists to develop their performance and leadership skills. And through the Outreach Program, Pacific Crest provides discounted and no-cost tickets to 5,000 high school band students to attend the shows we produce — ensuring that students from underserved communities have access to live performing arts at the highest level, regardless of their financial circumstances.
THE “WHY”
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Pacific Crest Youth Arts Organization is to provide superior educational and competitive performing arts programs that change the lives of young people in the greater Southern California region and prepare them for leadership in a fast-moving world.
VISION STATEMENT
We will enrich our communities with diverse, passionate leaders of character, who are committed advocates for participation in, and support of, the performing arts.
THE “HOW”
GOALS
1. Challenge committed young performers in a superior quality performance ensemble with similarly motivated peers.
2. Develop the technical and artistic performance skills of our students though a highly intricate blend of music and movement that’s performed for live audiences around the country.
3. Change students’ lives through a rigorous rehearsal schedule, mentoring, and a summer performance tour that builds character and develops maturity and leadership.
VALUES
Integrity and Virtue: We act with respect and compassion towards ourselves and others to foster a culture of mutual trust.
Community and Culture: We are a part of the larger Pacific Crest community. We respect the contributions of those who came before us and the legacy they have left, and work towards positive change to support future members of our community.
Health and Safety: Health and safety are the guiding forces behind our actions as a community. It is our obligation to serve each other by taking care of our minds and bodies and supporting those around us.
Growth and Development: Pursuing growth in everything we do enables us to push beyond our perceived limits and see challenges as achievable.