Our People

Our Director 

The music director of OHS is Eric Mabrey. He has an extensive background in instrumental music as a professional musician, music director, and adjudicator.

Mr. Eric Mabrey was honored as one of the 2010 San Diego County Teachers of the Year! He represented over 26,000 S.D. county teachers at events throughout the county and the state of California, while advocating for arts education for all.

Professional work: He has played for almost 40 years as a professional French Horn player, ranging from musical theater, to symphony orchestra, including work as a recording studio musician. He continues to perform as requested by local performing groups.

He was a percussion major at SDSU, and continues to play percussion as needed around San Diego. As a hobby, Mr. Mabrey plays French Horn in the San Diego Horn Society group “Hornswoggle”.

Mr. Mabrey is also a professional pianist, specializing in musical theater, jazz, and pop styles. He plays throughout San Diego county as a freelance musician.

As a band director, Mr. Mabrey began as an assistant director at the award winning Castle Park High School Band program in the 1980s. In 1988, Mr. Mabrey was hired as the new band director at the Chula Vista High School “School for Creative and Performing Arts”. For 11 years he developed a top award winning band program that grew in size up to 145 band members and 60 attached unit members. From his success he gained respect from fellow directors and was invited to become an adjudicator for the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association. For over 25 years he has been adjudicating parades and festivals throughout southern California.

Starting in 2006, Mr. Mabrey started to build up the OHS band program, reaching a peak of 158 musicians and 40 guard members.  Today, post COVID numbers have fallen, but we're still close to being 100 musicians, and 35 guard members.

At the end of the 2024-2025 school year, Mr. Mabrey will be retiring from teaching to enjoy the next chapter of life.  After 37 years of teaching music, psychology, and health, Mr. Mabrey will enjoy travel with family and a return to performing as a freelance musician.