Dr. Anthony Rivera is Director of Instrumental Music at Santa Clara University where he conducts the Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and Chamber Ensembles. In addition, he is also the director of the Bronco Pep Band for Athletics. Prior to Santa Clara University, he served as Director of the University of Maryland Repertoire Orchestra, the Associate Conductor of the Wind Orchestra, and woodwind instructor for the Mighty Sound of Maryland Marching Band.
An active guest conductor, clinician, and lecturer, Rivera has worked with many ensembles and presented throughout the United States and abroad. Having guest conducted The United States Coast Guard Band, The United States Air Force Band of the Golden West Concert Band, and presented numerous lectures for the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), National Band Association, and the Santa Clara University Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). He presented at the 2022 Internationale Gesellschaft Zur Erforschung & Förderung Der Blasmusik (IGEB) Conference, lecture entitled, “Memories and Modernity: Re-imagining Classical-Era Opera Transcriptions for Harmonie”.
In addition to teaching and conducting, Rivera’s music arrangements have been performed throughout the United States and Canada. Recently, Chamber Music Silicon Valley has twice performed his arrangement of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring for chamber ensemble and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra performed a Suite for Winds and Brass of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. His arrangements have been performed by several university and community ensembles and have been performed at The Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago.
Dr. Rivera received a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Central Florida and Master of Music in Wind Conducting from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from The University of Maryland. His primary conducting teachers are Michael Votta Jr., James Ross, Melinda O’Neal, and Harlan Parker.
