Symphonic, Wind Ensemble, Wind Symphony, Jazz Band I - Curricular Ensembles
The bands at Mira Costa High School provide opportunities for musicians at many stages of musical development.  From the educational level repertoire of the Symphonic band, to the professional-level repertoire of the Wind symphony, all the students pursue a high degree of musical integrity when approaching any piece of music.
 
In the process of recreating art through performance, ensemble members learn about the composers and their compositional purpose, seeking the original intent of the music.  The focus across all the bands is the development of the students’ musical maturity to the point where they are able to receive the greatest benefits of music education. Every member is a vital component of the ensemble and is important to both the process as well as the product.

Joel Carlson is the Instrumental Music Teacher for the Bands at Mira Costa High School, a 2014 GRAMMY Signature Schools Gold Award winning school and one of three awardees to be recognized by the GRAMMY Foundation in 2014 as having one of the best comprehensive music programs in the nation. During his tenure at Mira Costa, the bands have grown in size, scope and excellence. From the Wind Ensembles to the Jazz Bands and the Marching Band, the Mira Costa Bands are consistently rated at the highest levels of musicality for their outstanding performances. A native Californian, Joel is a proud graduate of Thousand Oaks High School and the University of California, Los Angeles (BA, Music Education & Music Performance, oboe, 2003; MA, Conducting & Music Performance, oboe, 2005), and is a proud alumni of the Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps (2000-2002) where he was honored to be named as the 2002 Brass Player of the Year. Mr. Carlson enjoys the daily pursuit of helping each student to realize the fullest cognitive, collaborative, and creative benefits that music education has to offer. Mr. Carlson directs the three Wind Ensembles, the two Jazz Ensembles and the Marching Band.