Ana Rivera

I joined Local 802 in an effort to broaden employment and networking opportunities with other musicians both in and out of the union. I seek to expand on my creative and artistic skills as a singer, instrumentalist and composer in modern jazz, Latin jazz, world music and other genres. I am also interested in composing and recording my own music, opening a recording studio and establishing a music school. Finally, I seek to form my own band, specializing in a wide variety of genres and styles. My favorite recent gig was a matinee performance at a university-based jazz festival, collaborating on electric piano with three guitarists, one pianist, two drummers, a small brass section and two female singers. The repertoire included songs by Edith Piaf, Miles Davis and Antonio Carlos Jobim, among others. After the performance, the director, Allan Molnar, praised the group for holding their own during a busy festival and school schedule, citing our strong potential as musicians and instructors in our own right. I have two primary instruments: vocals and piano. I also play hand drums such as congas, bongos and djembe, and other percussion instruments such as timbales.