Housed inside Mission Bay High School at 2475 Grand Ave Room 113 in Pacific Beach, 92109, Mission Bay Music is a music instruction program built on a tradition stretching back more than 30 years. Director Jean-Paul "JP" Balmat—a Mission Bay High alumnus himself, class of 2002—returned to resurrect the program in 2006 after a two-year hiatus and has since grown it from three ensembles to eight, reaching over 200 students each year. Balmat holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from San Diego State University and earned back-to-back San Diego Music Awards for Best Jazz in 2019 and 2020 with his Euphoria Brass Band. The program's flagship ensemble, the Preservationists, has performed at Preservation Hall in New Orleans, TEDx San Diego, the Sacramento Music Festival, and on KSDS Jazz 88.3fm. Sheet music, reeds, and instrument accessories are easy to source at Staples on Balboa Avenue, a short drive from the Grand Avenue campus. In 2017 and again in 2025, the Preservationists were selected to represent San Diego in its sister city Yokohama, Japan, commemorating decades of cross-cultural ties. The Mission Bay Mambo Orchestra holds the distinction of being the only youth Latin big band in California. Students have collaborated with world-class artists including trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis and members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. In January 2026, Times of San Diego reported that Balmat was a finalist for the national 2026 Music Educator of the Year award, recognition of his two decades spent turning a high school elective into an internationally touring powerhouse. Turquoise Street's The French Gourmet handles catering and post-concert celebrations for many Bucs music families throughout the year. The program also operates a Music Business track where students produce concert series and gain real-world experience on the business side of the industry.