Armida Rivera

One of the most active and outstanding trumpet players of her generation, she concluded her bachelor’s degree studies at the University of Baja California under the tutelage of John McFerran Wilds. Later she obtained the CONACYT-FINBA and The Fulbright Garcia-Robles scholarships to get her master’s degree at Ithaca College in New York where she studied with Dr. Kim Dunnick and her doctoral degree at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, with the trumpet players Alan Siebert and Philip Collins.

In addition to her academic formation, Armida Rivera has participated with major symphony orchestras and festivals including two programs with Jalisco Philharmonic in Mexico, a collaboration with composer Tae Hong Park (New York University) at the 25th Anniversary Interactive Arts Performance Series in New York, and a recital and master class at the University Autonomous of Mexico. She has also played as a soloist with Tijuana Camerata, Baja California Symphonic Band, Baja California Orchestra and UABC-Symphony Orchestra. A passionate of contemporary music, Armida collaborates closely with numerous composers contributing to expanding the fascinating repertoire of the trumpet, also, she has premiered new pieces with Baja California Orchestra, Ensemble X, CCM Chamber Players, New Music Ensemble-UABC, Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, Queen City Orchestra, and as soloist in recitals and music festivals.

Armida runs a successful online studio where she teaches students from all over the world. Also, she created the blog “La Hora del Café”, a space dedicated to talk about art and where she interviews musicians from Latin America, the blog has become in one of the most influential new websites in Latin America. Armida also has participated and continue participating at several El SISTEMA based programs in Mexico like Orquesta Esperanza Azteca in Ensenada and Puebla, REDES2025 in Mexicali and Tijuana, and Nucleos Comunitarios in Mexico City. Though this program Armida has learned that music itself knows no boundaries of languages, race of background.

Since 2018, Armida became a Bach Brass & Conn – Selmer performance artist, she has represented Bach Brass in festivals in Mexico and U.S.A. also, she became the first Bach Brass endorsed artist in Mexico (classical music), a distinction that she carries with intense work and collaborations with schools and orchestras. Armida is also part of the education program of Gard Bags and Buzz-R, two of the most prestigious brands for trumpet accessories and she is also constantly working and collaborating with other companies to improve brass accessories.

Since 2019, Armida got offered the position of full-time trumpet professor at the University of Science and Arts of Chiapas in Mexico. She will be the first female trumpet professor in a major university in Mexico and the first trumpet player with a doctoral degree.

There, she created the first brass choir and trumpet ensemble program in the country, these programs are receiving recognition and support around the country from music festivals and art foundations.

In 2019, Armida’s active agenda will include a collaboration as soloist with Chiapas Symphony Orchestra, a recording of four new pieces for unaccompanied trumpet, a participation with a recital and a master class at the Arutunian International Wind Festival in Yereven, Armenia, a participation with her Trumpet Ensemble and Brass Choir at the Merida Brass in México, and two masterclasses at the National School of Music among other activities.