The Sacramento Mandarins’ mission statement is, “Transforming Lives Through Performing Arts”, and this statement continues to drive the progress of our organization. We celebrate and embrace diversity in all of its forms including gender, race, sexual orientation, religion and socio-economic diversity. We believe that everyone brings their individual identity AND unites to create amazing musical ensembles.
In 1963, during a time of heightened discrimination, the Sacramento Mandarins (then Ye Wah) was formed to provide Chinese-American youth with a performing arts activity. As the world changed, so did the Mandarins, first opening up to members of Asian descent and now to people of all backgrounds. Today, we are proud to be one of the most inclusive and diverse organizations in the activity.
The Mandarins provides the ideal balance of education, family values, personal time, and the blending of Asian traditions with drum corps. We are committed to the growth of the lives of young people through youth development and performance excellence while providing enjoyment for the Sacramento community and audiences worldwide.
The Mandarins have been awarded the GuideStar Platinum Seal — the highest level of recognition for organizations which have created and shared progress and results about their mission.
Recent honors and awards of distinction: Drum Corps International Division III World Champions in 1987, 1988, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999; Drum Corps International Division II World Champions in 2001; Drum Corps International Pacific Division III Champions in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999, and DCI Pacific Division II California State Champions in 2000 and 2001; Drum Corps International Division I Semifinalist in 2001, 2005, and 2006; Drum Corps International World Class Quarterfinalist in 2008-2010; Drum Corps International World Class Semifinalist in 2011-2017; and Drum Corps International World Class Finalist in 2018, 2019, and 2022. Additionally, the Mandarins are two-time recipients of the prestigious Spirit of Disney Award, signifying outstanding achievement and excellence in educational and entertainment programs for youth. The Mandarins are in the Top 10 of all drum and bugle corps worldwide.
Look for the Mandarins to appear in a full slate of West Coast shows and a nationwide tour, including appearances at the DCI regionals in San Antonio and Allentown on the way to Indianapolis, Indiana for the DCI World Championships.
President and CEO is Dr. Dan Fong.
Corps Director is JW Koester.
For additional information about the corps, please check out our Contact Page below.
Message from our CEO
2023 was a very busy year with a full array of activities from all of our programs.
The Mandarins Music Academy is now teaching elementary school band in over 44 schools with more than 1300 students – including the Jessie Baker School for special needs students. Giving the “Gift of Music” has been an extremely rewarding endeavor with plans for even more growth in 2024. The MMA is led by director Ryan Lee.
The Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps rose to an unprecedented sixth-place finish at the 2023 DCI World Championships in Indianapolis. Kudos to director JW Koester for an outstanding season and for being awarded DCI Director of the Year! We have our highest return rate of members in recent history so watch for the Mandarins to kick it up a notch in 2024!
The 2024 DCI Capital Classic Drum Corps Show is set for Sunday, July 7 in Sacramento. Come out and see 10 drum corps and the Freelancer Alumni Corps in Sacramento’s best music event! Tickets will be on sale soon at www.mandarins.org.
Mandarins Bingo continues to provide a fantastic activity for local players and supporters at the Mandarins Event Center. Bingo director Cindy Froom leads a dedicated team of staff three nights a week to provide for our programs. The Aftershock Cloggers, the Rancho Cordova River City Community Concert Band, and the Symphony D’Oro continue to rehearse in the 3000 sq. ft. band room. There are still some nights and weekends available for usage of the MEC for music groups, dance studios, and churches. Rental information is available here.
Mandarins Pathways continues to provide music instruction in the California Youth Detention Center, allowing incarcerated youth to explore music in a positive and encouraging format. Many thanks to director Chris Cyr for heading up that important program.
Mandarins Entertainment continues to get more gigs as we move away from the COVID shutdown. We just completed fifteen Christmas performances at Bayside Church in Granite Bay. Many other gigs are lining up for ME under the new directorship of Demetrius Riley and Tyler Allin.
Our Kickstarter Year of the Dragon Campaign was a big hit and will continue to accept donations that will be matched until January 31, 2024. Your donation will help support our many programs as we gear up for 2024 – the Year of the Dragon.
Happy New Year!
Daniel Fong
President & CEO, Mandarins of Sacramento, Inc.
