Percussionist - U.S. Air Force Band Ceremonial Brass; Adjunct Instructor of Percussion - Virginia Commonwealth University Dr. Luis C. Rivera (b. 1983) currently serves as percussionist with the United States Air Force Band Ceremonial Brass at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, DC. He also is an adjunct instructor of percussion at Virginia Commonwealth University. Previously he was the Assistant Professor of Percussion at Oklahoma City University, and prior to that the Director of Percussion Studies at the University of South Alabama. He is originally from Orlando, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Central Florida under the direction of Jeff Moore and Kirk Gay. While at UCF, Dr. Rivera was a Presser Foundation Scholar and the winner of the...
Director of Percussion - Missouri Western State University Dr. Joshua J. Knight is the Director of Percussion at Missouri Western State University. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Oklahoma, and earned his Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees from the University of Central Arkansas. His teachers include Lance Drege, Blake Tyson, Thomas Burritt, and Benjamin Finley. Knight has presented and performed at regional and international events such as the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy, Texas Music Educators Association conference, College Music Society regional conference, and numerous state percussion festivals including the Arkansas Day of Percussion, Oklahoma Day of Percussion, and University of Central Arkansas Percussion Festival. As an active performer and clinician Knight has appeared at numerous high...
Principal Timpani & Principal Percussion - National Symphony Orchestra of Chile; Percussion Associate Professor - Chile Catholic University; Performer, Educator, Soloist Gerardo Salazar was born in Santiago, Chile. He is the Principal Timpanist and Principal Percussion at the National Symphony Orchestra of Chile OSNCH, Percussion Associate Professor, Orchestral Repertoire and Orchestral Practice at Chile Catholic University and National Percussion Instructor at Foundation of Youth and Children's Orchestras of Chile. Gerardo has a Bachelor of Music from the University of Chile and a Master of Fine Arts from the Catholic University of Chile, both degrees obtained with Maximum Distinction. He completed the Performance Residency Program in percussion at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh U.S.A. with Professor Timothy Adams Jr., where he...
Percussionist & Composer As a performer, composer, and educator, it is Brian Blume’s passion to connect with audiences and students through the art of percussion. In 2020, Blume joined the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” in Washington, D.C. In his role with the Ceremonial Band, he serves his country through supporting high-profile ceremonies and events in the national capital region. Blume also performs regularly as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral player, and studio percussionist, and has performed with groups such as the Orlando Philharmonic, Imperial Symphony Orchestra, Carmel Symphony Orchestra, Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra, BluHill Percussion Duo, the Indianapolis Colts drumline, and Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps. For seven years, Blume served as Assistant Professor of Percussion at Southeastern...
Principal Percussionist - Las Vegas Philharmonic Patrick Bowen has been the Director of the World Jazz Studies program at Las Vegas Academy of the Arts since 2001. Jazz bands at the Las Vegas Academy have been finalists at the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival 13 times; won ‘Best in State’ at every Reno Jazz Festival in attendance; won 16 DownBeat Awards; and have been invited to perform at events including Monterey Jazz Festival, The Midwest Clinic, Brandon Jazz Festival, Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, and the Jazz Education Network Conference. The school is the recipient of twelve Grammy Awards, an honor unparalleled by any other high school in the nation. Patrick is presently the Principal Percussionist with the Las Vegas Philharmonic...
