Music director: Mr. Jean-Paul Balmat

2017 San Diego Unified District High School Teacher of the Year

2017 CMEA Jazz Educator of the Year

2019, 2020 San Diego Music Award winner “Best Jazz”

2023 David Paul Schuchman District Instrumental teacher of the year

2024 GRAMMY nominated Music Educator of the year (QUARTERFINALIST)

Listen to San Diego Sessions Podcast featuring Mr. Balmat

Jean-Paul (JP) Balmat is the award-winning educator and performer leading the internationally recognized music program at Mission Bay.  His award-winning groups have been invited to perform throughout California, New Orleans and most recently Japan.

A Mission Bay High School alumni, Balmat performed all four years of high school and was appointed student band leader his sophomore year under the direction of Rey Vinole.   After graduating in 2002, Balmat attended San Diego State University where he graduated with honors receiving a bachelor’s degree in Music Education.  With the support and dedication of Mission Bay High School community and staff, the music program was resurrected after a two year hiatus with Balmat as their new music director. Since 2006, Balmat was grown the program from three ensembles to now eight different ensembles, educating over 200 music students in jazz, strings, band and choir! In 2023 he was instrumental in founding and managing the very first San Diego Unified District Honor Jazz Ensemble directed by Francisco Torres.

Jean-Paul is an accomplished educator, performer, composer and arranger.  As a professional saxophonist, he performs regularly in San Diego. He is artistic director of the Euphoria Brass Band and his recordings and compositions have been nominated for San Diego Music Awards the past six years.  In 2019 and 2020 Euphoria Brass Band won the San Diego Music Award for “Best Jazz.” Most recently he has performed with New Orleans trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis, drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith (Tonight Show Band) and GRAMMY award winning and nominated musicians Oscar Hernandez, Francisco Torres (Poncho Sanchez, Gordon Goodwin) and Javier Cabanillas (Pacific Mambo Orchestra, Cabanijazz Project).  Through his career he has had the honor of opening for Dr. John, Trombone Shorty, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Cowboy Mouth, Rebirth Brass Band, Funky Meters, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Soul Rebels Brass Band, Honey Island Swamp Band, Rosie Ledet, California Honeydrops, Red Baraat, Chali 2na, and Rusted Root, among others.

Listen to San Diego Sessions Podcast featuring Mr. Balmat

See Mr. Balmat in Action! Teacher of the Year Video.

CHOIR DIRECTOR: LORELEI ISIDRO-GARNER

Lorelei Isidro-Garner is a versatile vocalist and instrumentalist specializing in Swing Music and Gypsy Jazz. Her jazz trio “The Garners” are active performers of the Manouche Jazz genre. In addition to performing, Lorelei has been a music educator for 20+ years and continues to serve underserved communities as the Assistant Director of City Heights Music School whose mission is to provide high quality music education to communities in need.

Other faculty

Eric WEsling: Music AssT.

John Martinez: MUSIC ASST.

YIGITHAN BAL: MUSIC ASST.