Staff

Mark de la Vega (DLV) received a Masters in Music Education from the American Band College through Central Washington University (2018). He completed a single subject teaching credential from the Bob Cole Conservatory at CSU Long Beach (2011), and he double majored at UC Irvine, earning a BA in Political Science and a BM in Percussion Performance with a minor in Educational Studies (2008). He also earned an International Baccalaureate Diploma (2004).

Prior to joining the faculty at Canyon High School, he taught music at Pete Knight High School, San Marino High School, Quartz Hill High School, and Chaparral Middle School. His bands have qualified for SCSBOA Championships and his ensembles have consistently received Superior or Unanimous Superior ratings at Festival. He has been an arranger and coach for several marching band and drumline programs including Canyon HS, Savanna HS, Esperanza HS, El Modena HS, Irvine HS, University HS, and Highland HS. He served as Drum Major (06-07) and tour director (10-11) for Pacific Crest Drum & Bugle Corps. He is a charter member of Pulse Percussion (2005) and earned a WGI Silver and SCPA Gold with Riverside Community College Winterline (2008). He is also a co-founder of the West Coast Performance Association (WCPA), a competitive circuit in an underserved area dedicated to providing performance opportunities for young people and providing meaningful feedback for improvement.

Steven Peralta has been involved with color guard since 2011 and has been teaching for six years. This season will be his second year working with the Gold Star Brigade and his mission is to build performers in a healthy learning environment and create a strong community. In addition, he has had success with maintaining color guard teams at Pete Knight HS and Antelope Valley HS. After multiple seasons of learning and marching under Pasadena City College's color guard program, he found value in teaching, displaying that through his dedicated work ethic and rigorous performance demands.

Bob Lawrence was born in Orange County, California. He began playing trombone at the age of 10 and quickly fell in love with the world of jazz. He won spots in the All-Southern California All-Star Jazz Band every year from 2002-2008. From 2008-2010 Bob attended Saddleback College and studied under the direction of Joey Sellers. During that time Bob won the South Orange County Concerto Competition for his performance of the Morceau Symphonique. He graduated from the Los Angeles College of Music and has been living in LA where he's quickly establishing himself as a respected and highly in-demand trombone player, arranger, and music educator.

Bob has played trombone for Ebi Hamedi, Googoosh, Geronimo Rauch, Andy Montañez, the Billy Vaughn Orchestra, Craig Cammel Orchestra, the Baba Orchestra, the Afro-Peruvian Jazz Orchestra (currently nominated for two Latin Grammys for the album Tradiciones), Kim Richmond Orchestra, Luis Enrique, Tony Vega, Poncho Sanchez and his Latin Jazz Band, and many more bands and musicians around the world.