Hillcrest Wind Ensemble

40th Anniversary Season

ABOUT US

The Hillcrest Wind Ensemble, one of Southern California's finest adult musical organizations, celebrates 40 years of providing quality musical programs for the greater San Diego community. Originally called San Diego's Finest City Freedom Band, the group was formed in 1985 to bring music to the LGBT community as a marching band that also played concerts. With the turn of the new century, the band has evolved into an elite wind ensemble, playing more advanced music with a new mission to entertain the ideal of diversity within our ranks as well as promoting quality music to all of San Diego.

The Hillcrest Wind Ensemble is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. We exist on income from concert ticket sales and donations from patrons and sponsors.

MISSION STATEMENT

The purpose of this Band shall be to promote general harmony through music performance.

The Hillcrest Wind Ensemble is one of Southern California’s finest adult musical organizations. We provide quality musical programs for the greater San Diego community. We strive to perform innovative and more advanced music in order to educate and entertain, reflecting the ideal of diversity within our ranks as well as promoting quality music to all of San Diego.

This organization, in all facets, shall oppose discrimination and brutality through peaceful means and shall be co-sexual and non-sexist in its goals, membership, objectives and organization, and shall always foster pride in its unity and achievements.

In order to achieve and maintain a high level of musical integrity, the Band shall adhere to the guidelines of a contemporary wind ensemble. The contemporary wind ensemble is structured to allow one musician per part (with the exception of two or three musicians to a part for flutes and clarinets or other parts as needed at the Artistic Director’s discretion). This instrumentation encourages each player to raise their standards of musicianship and confidence as individuals, and as an ensemble. The simplistic nature of the wind ensemble requires each musician to excel in their skill, demanding a performance of precision and accuracy. It is our hope to set an example as an elite wind ensemble, and thereby inspire future musical organizations to continue in true wind ensemble tradition.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Artistic Director

Avi Mehta

Artistic Director

Avi Mehta is a lifelong learner, passionate about building relationships and transforming communities through music. He currently teaches in the San Diego Unified School District where he directs the bands and orchestras at numerous elementary schools. In addition to his new role as the artistic director of the Hillcrest Wind Ensemble, Avi also conducts the Finest City Brass and performs regularly with the Finest City Wind Orchestra.

Prior to moving to San Diego in 2019, Avi served as a wind ensemble conductor at the Margarita Muniz Academy in Boston, the artistic director of the Josiah Quincy Orchestra Program, and the music director of the Randolph Community Band. He maintains an active guest conducting career internationally and works frequently with El Sistema-inspired programs, a community of youth ensembles (originally founded in Venezuela) that strive for social change through music education.

Avi Mehta

Artistic Director

Originally from Troy, Michigan, Avi holds a B.M. in Tuba Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a M.M. in Wind Conducting from Penn State University, and was a Sistema Fellow at the New England Conservatory. He has been mentored by the most amazing teachers in his life including Brian Nutting, John Stevens, Scott Teeple, Dennis Glocke, Mark, Lusk, Erik Holmgren, and countless others.

Outside of his life as a musician, Avi enjoys traveling the world, salsa dancing, foodie experiences, playing sports, and most importantly, spending time with his friends and family.

Jason Blackwell

Associate Artistic Director

Jason has extensive music training including a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Music Education from the University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music and a Master’s in Instrumental Conducting from the American Band College of Sam Houston State University. He has worked with numerous conductors and composers of note including Dr. Peter Boonshaft, Hofstra University, Paula Crider, University of Texas, Johan de Meij, Amstel Music, Robert Ponto, University of Oregon, Frank Ticheli, U.S.C., and Col Arnald Gabriel, U.S. Air Force Band. Jason has been a member of Hillcrest Wind Ensemble since 2022, both as a performer on alto sax, and as a guest conductor. He was recently appointed to the Associate Artistic Director position, and will begin his official duties in January 2026.