Broward Summer Music Academy
Maestros
a summer conducting workshop
2025 Clinicians
Damon Talley
Mr. Talley serves as Director of Bands and Paula G. Manship Professor of Conducting at the Louisiana State University School of Music, where he oversees all aspects of the LSU Department of Bands, conducts the Wind Ensemble and teaches graduate conducting. The nationally recognized Band Department at LSU serves as an integral component of the thriving School of Music. Under his leadership, the Department has established an annual conducting symposium, high school and middle school camps that serve hundreds of students annually, and numerous outreach events for public school educators. The Golden Band From Tigerland marching band has been featured at national conferences on multiple occasions, and most recently, the LSU Wind Ensemble performed at the College Band Directors National Association national convention. Dr. Talley is a strong supporter and advocate of music in the public schools. He regularly serves as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator throughout the United States and abroad, including engagements in Germany, Switzerland, England, and Spain, among others.
The LSU Wind Ensemble has released multiple recordings on the Equilibrium Label and continues to commission and record new compositions regularly. Dr. Talley has recorded on Best Classical Records and received favorable reviews from publications including Gramophone magazine and the American Record Guide. He has served as producer or associate producer on commercial recordings by the Naxos, Klavier, and Equilibrium record labels, and is published in the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series, distributed by GIA Publications.
As an avid supporter of new music for the wind medium, Dr. Talley has conducted numerous world premier performances, and has commissioned composers to write for the wind band. He has won praise for his work by composers such as William Bolcom, Steven Mackey, Kevin Puts, Joseph Schwantner, David Maslanka, Donald Grantham, and Michael Daugherty, among others. He regularly hosts visiting composers of national and international status on the campus of LSU, and is a strong advocate for young composers, often premiering pieces by student composers. Dr. Talley is currently the National Chair for the New Works Committee of CBDNA as well as the Chair for the Commissioning Committee for the SEC Band Directors Association.
Prior to his appointment at LSU, Dr. Talley held the position of Director of Bands at Shenandoah Conservatory, where he was responsible for guiding the wind band program, conducting the EDGE New Music Ensemble, and teaching graduate conducting. He has also taught on the faculties at The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Michigan. Prior to teaching at the university level, Dr. Talley taught in the public schools in Texas at both the middle school and high school levels. He earned the Master of Music degree in Wind Conducting from the University of Michigan, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Wind Conducting from The University of Texas. His principal conducting teachers are Jerry Junkin, Michael Haithcock, and H. Robert Reynolds. Dr. Talley is an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association, Phi Beta Mu, an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma, and holds professional memberships in the College Band Directors National Association, the Louisiana Music Educators Association, and the Texas Music Educators Association Educators Association. He is also an Educational Consultant and Clinician for the Conn-Selmer Corporation
Steve Rivero
Mr. Stephen K. Rivero was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He received his Bachelor of Music from the University of Miami in 1995 and was named the honor graduate for the school of music. Mr.Rivero began his teaching career at Ft. Lauderdale High School in 1995. Upon completion of his first year of teaching, he accepted the Director of Bands position at Hialeah High School. During his ten years at Hialeah High School, he achieved great success and numerous accolades with all his ensembles, as well as being awarded Teacher of the Year in 2002.
In 2006, Mr. Rivero accepted the Director of Bands position at Charles W. Flanagan High School. Under his direction, the Flanagan Bands consistently earned superior ratings at all Florida Bandmasters Association Music Performance Assessments. The Marching Band was a seven-time finalist at Music for All’s Bands of America Regional Contests. His Wind Orchestra was the featured Band at the 2011 President’s Concert of the Florida Music Educators Clinic and Conference in Tampa, Florida. In 2012, the Wind Orchestra was the National Champion at the Grand National Adjudicators Invitational, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 2013, 2014, and 2018, Flanagan hosted clinics and performed with world renowned composers, David Maslanka, Frank Ticheli, and John Mackey.
In May of 2019, Mr. Rivero proudly accepted the Director of Bands position at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. He served as Director of Bands until 2024, continuing the tradition of excellence associated with MSD. His Bands consistently earned superior ratings at all Florida Bandmasters Association Music Performance Assessments. The Indoor Winds Ensemble (Stoneman Winds) competed during the 2022 season and were a WGI finalist. The Indoor Percussion Ensemble (MSDi) made their first appearance at WGI in 2022 and were also named a finalist. In 2023, MSDi were the FFCC State Champions and competed in Open Class at the WGI World Championships.
During the past five years, the Eagle Regiment Marching Band has had multiple Grand Champion awards, were a two-time FMBC State Champion, a five-time Bands of America Regional finalist, and a BOA Grand Nationals Semi-Finalist. In December of 2022, the Marching Band traveled to London and had the honor of performing in the 2023 London New Year's Day Parade. In November of 2023, the Eagle Regiment Marching Band marched and performed in the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, as the first school from Broward County to ever march in this prestigious parade. Most recently, his Wind Orchestra was selected to perform at the 2024 Music For All/UCF Orlando Invitational.
In addition to his civilian profession, Mr. Rivero served our country as the Commander and Conductor of the Florida National Guard’s 13th Army Band. Chief Warrant Officer 4 (Retired) Rivero was a member of the Army Band for thirty-eight years and performed throughout the Continental United States, Dominican Republic, Morocco, St. Kitts, Guyana, and the U.S. territory of Guam. He attended basic training at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, and Warrant Officer Candidate School at Ft. Rucker, Alabama. CW4 (Ret) Rivero also served as an advisor to Army Bands for pre and post operational readiness evaluations. He received numerous military honors and awards, including two awards of the
Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Florida Commendation Medal, and the Guam Commendation Medal.
Mr. Rivero is an active Guest Conductor and Clinician. He is the co-founder and facilitator of the Maestros Conducting Symposium, a summer workshop in Florida. He has been the Conductor of the Florida All-State High School Honor Band, numerous All-County/Honor Bands throughout the United States, and was the Conductor of the Tumon Bay Music Festival in Guam. His civilian honors and awards include Teacher of the Year, two awards of the National Band Association Citation of Excellence, and the Florida Bandmasters Association Oliver Hobbs Award, in recognition of consistent superior band performances and commitment and service to the field of music education. Mr. Rivero was named the 2017 “Arts Teacher of the Year,” for Broward County, and was named a quarterfinalist for the 2020 “GRAMMY Music Educator of the Year.” He is an inductee of the International Fraternity of Bandmasters, Phi Beta Mu, a member of the National Association for Music Education, the Florida Music Educators Association, and the Florida Bandmasters Association.