Angelita Ponce- front ensemble coordinator
Angelita Ponce is a Phoenix based percussionist, educator, and arranger. She will be completing her Bachelor’s of Music Education Degree at Arizona State University in Spring 2020. Here she has studied under the direction of J.B. Smith, Shaun Tilburg, Simone Mancuso, Dom Moio, and Jason Caslor. She has participated in a multitude of ensembles and organizations at ASU including being the Principle Percussionist for the Wind Ensemble and being a co-president for the National Association for Music Educator’s Collegiate Chapter at ASU. Angelita is an experienced educator. She has served as the Front Ensemble Coordinator at several programs across the valley including Gilbert HS, Desert Mountain HS, and Phoenix Union Indoor Percussion. She was a front ensemble tech for Breakthrough Indoor Percussion during their inaugural year in World Class. She has also taught percussion methods at Greenfield Middle School and at the 2018 ASU/MEF Band Camp. Currently, she is the Front Ensemble Coordinator for both the Arizona State University Sun Devil Marching Band and for the Corona del Sol High School percussion ensembles. As a performer, Angelita has a diverse background. She has competed in WGI with the Corona del Sol High School Open and World Class Concert Percussion groups from 2012-2016. She continued her WGI career with Breakthrough Indoor Percussion in 2017. As a freelance musician, she has worked with the Phoenix Metropolitan Men’s Chorus, The Nash and several local churches.
Travis rowland- front ensemble technician
Travis Rowland will be graduating in 2020 from Arizona State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance-Percussion. Travis studies under Dr. J.B. Smith, Shaun Tilburg, Simone Mancuso and Dom Moio. At ASU Travis stays busy playing in Symphony Orchestra, Music Theatre+Opera, Contemporary Music Ensemble, and the Latin Jazz Ensemble, just to name a few. In the summer of 2016, Travis had the honor of joining first time DCI world finalist, The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps. In the Spring of 2017, Travis performed with Breakthrough Percussion in Dayton, Ohio at WGI Finals. A regular performer in the Phoenix Area, Travis has worked with BOOM! Percussion Entertainment, Samba de Cavalo, as well as having performed and recorded with the Salt River Brass. Travis is an experienced educator, currently serving as Front Ensemble Coordinator at Phoenix Union Indoor in Phoenix, AZ- as well as formally teaching at Dobson HS and Combs HS band programs. Travis is incredibly excited for his second season with the Breakthrough Front Ensemble!
Riley Smith - front ensemble technician
He is an experienced educator as he has previously taught at Santan Jr. High, Hamilton HS, Agua Fria HS. Riley is currently on staff at Millennium HS as a battery coordinator, Deer Valley HS as the front ensemble tech, and will be starting a new position of a Snare/Front Ensemble instructor for Phoenix Union Indoor. His performance experience includes the Thundering Heard Pep Band, numerous recitals, the Phoenix Men’s Chorus, as well as Vision Percussion from the 2016-2018 seasons as a snare drummer. Riley is currently wrapping up his bachelors degree in Music Education from Grand Canyon University. During his time at GCU he was an active member of the GCU percussion studio under Dr. Paul Koch, Thundering Heard Pep Band, Thunderstruck Percussion Ensemble, as well as co-principal percussionist of the Wind Ensemble.
Tyler wales - front ensemble technician
Tyler Wales is a doctoral candidate in percussion performance at Arizona State University, as well as being a Phoenix based performer and educator. Tyler has marched with independent A group Aftermath percussion, DCA World Champions The Reading Buccaneers, and with DCA group Cadets2 all on snare drum. He has also performed outside the marching world with groups such as The Phoenix Symphony. As an educator, Tyler has taught high school and collegiate band on the East Coast for 6+ years before moving to Arizona. He has also been the front ensemble instructor for the West Chester University Marching Band, where he obtained his masters, also in percussion performance. Tyler is an Artifact Percussion Artist. He is very excited to spend his first year teaching a World class WGI group with Breakthrough Indoor Percussion!⠀
kolby gorham - front ensemble technician
Kolby is an Arizona based percussion educator and accomplished percussion performer. He’s completed four seasons with Breakthrough Indoor (17-20) and is on his fourth season with the Sun Devil Marching Band (17-Present). As an educator he’s taught with Campo Verde HS, Gilbert HS, and currently with Casa Grande Union HS. Along with band he enjoys oversized sweaters, good comedic timing, angel hair pasta, and joking around with Cutler.