Student Achievements

Honors and Awards

USA Percussion Ensemble - Received Second Prize at the 2014 ENKOR Chamber Music Competition. Received 2nd Place finishes at the 2014 and 2015 Percussive Arts Society Concert Chamber Percussion Ensemble Competition.

Ian Jones - Recipient of the USA Department of Music Laidlaw Scholarship 2014-2015. Runner-up of the Larry Spivack International Solo Vibraphone Competition for his performance of Spivack's Soliloquy (January 2014). Awarded a Graduate Teaching Assistantship at Ithaca College (May 2015).

Ryan Boehme - Recipient of the USA John and Coralie Toomey Percussion Scholarship for 2014-2015. Received 3rd Place at the 2015 Percussive Arts Society Individual Marching Snare Competition in San Antonio, Texas. Awarded a Graduate Teaching Assistantship at the University of Central Florida (April 2017).

Steven Davidson - Winner of the Larry Spivack International Solo Vibraphone Competition for his performance of Spivack's Ragtime. $1000 Cash Prize and invited to perform at the Local 802 Music Union in Manhattan (January 2014).

Luke Smith - Winner of a Global Music Award of Merit for his percussion ensemble work Benjamin Seeing Tessellations, scored for six marimbas and one vibraphone (September 2014).
Recipient of the USA Bartels Percussion Scholarship AND John W. Laidlaw Scholarship for 2013-2014.

Jeremy Megginson - Awarded a Graduate Teaching Assistantship at the University of Utah (May 2013).

Ben Ivey - Winner of the Elizabeth Harper Vaughn Concerto Competition, sponsored by the Symphony of the Mountains, performing Ney Rosauro's Concerto for Marimba and String Orchestra (January 2010).

Alumni

Alex White, 2017 - Graduated with a BME, currently the Band Director at Escambia County Middle School and Assistant Band Director at Escambia County High School.

Ryan Boehme, 2017 - Graduated with a BME, currently pursuing a Master's in Percussion Performance at the University of Central Florida.

Luke Smith, 2016 - Graduated with a BM in Music Performance, currently pursuing a Master's in Music Composition at the University of Oregon.

Soren Odom, 2016 - Graduated with a BME, currently pursuing a Master's in Film Composition at the Seattle Film Institute.

Ben Ivey, 2016 - Graduated with a BME, currently the percussion instructor and Assistant Band Director at Theodore High School.

Bryant Ramey, 2016 - Graduated with a BME, currently pursuing a Master's in Music Education at USA, and is the Assistant Band Director at Robertsdale High School.

Steven Davidson, 2015 - Graduated with a BM with Elective Studies in Business, currently working as a live sound engineer in downtown Mobile.

Jessica Foster, 2015 - Graduated with a BME, currently a music educator in western New York.

Ian Jones, 2015 - Graduated with a BM in Music Performance, graduated with a Master's in Percussion Performance from Ithaca College (2017).

Jeremy Megginson, 2013 - Graduated with a BME, graduated with a Master's in Percussion Performance from the University of Utah ('15), currently the Assistant Band Director/Director of Percussion at Westlake High School in Saratoga Springs, UT.

Chase Davidson, 2013 - Graduated with a BME, currently an assistant band director and percussion instructor at Saraland High School.

Zach Webb, 2011 - Graduated with a BM with Elective Studies in Business, graduated with a Master's in Percussion Performance from The Hartt School ('14), currently pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.

If you are an alum from the USA Percussion Studio please email Dr. Rivera to have your information included on this page.