UTEP Percussion Ensemble Wins National Title at Collegiate Competition
EL PASO, Texas (Nov. 25, 2025) – The University of Texas at El Paso Percussion Ensemble has earned national acclaim after winning the collegiate category of the Concert Chamber Percussion Ensemble Competition (CCPEC) at the 2025 Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC). The victory marks a significant milestone for UTEP’s Department of Music.
Under the direction of Andy P. Smith, D.M., assistant professor of music and director of percussion studies, the six-member UTEP ensemble performed Fandango 13 by Michael Burritt. Their performance featured four marimbas, two vibraphones, glockenspiel, crotales and various drums, highlighting the ensemble’s versatility, technical command and cohesion.
“Our group was trained to achieve a high level of artistry, communication and music-making; we never discussed the outcome,” Smith said. “We worked diligently; we dug into the details of the music, and the beauty of that was that it worked!”
PASIC, held Nov. 12-15 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, is the world’s largest gathering for drummers and percussionists, and features concerts, clinics and masterclasses presented by internationally recognized artists and educators. The CCPEC provides a competitive platform for advanced collegiate and high school percussion groups, with each ensemble performing a tightly structured 15-minute program.
Members of the UTEP Percussion Ensemble include seniors Jose-Angel Rivas, Serena Sanchez and Israel Vasquez; juniors Jacob Melendez and Jacob Ocampo; and sophomore Jorge Calzada. For all six students, this was their first time attending PASIC. The competition, which included 30 ensembles, placed the UTEP group among nationally recognized programs such as the University of Delaware, East Texas A&M, Colorado State University, Texas Christian University and Middle Tennessee State University.
As champions of the University/College Division, the ensemble was invited to perform at the prestigious PASIC Winners Showcase Concert on November 15. Beyond their ensemble success, five of the six students also competed in solo categories, earning strong results.
Their participation at PASIC is already opening doors for several ensemble members. Rivas, one of the seniors in the group, secured a summer apprenticeship with a top competitive drum corps, while Calzada, the ensemble’s only sophomore, successfully completed a first-round audition with the elite Blue Devils Drum Corps. All of them had the opportunity to engage directly with graduate school faculty and professional artists during the convention.
Andrew Hunter, DMA, director of bands at UTEP, praised the ensemble for their achievement.
"The tremendous achievement of UTEP’s percussion ensemble at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention confirms what the El Paso community has known for some time: UTEP has firmly established itself as a national leader in musical performance and in offering world-class educational experiences to our students,” Hunter said. “Dr. Andy Smith’s student-centered approach provides an ideal balance of high expectations with compassionate, responsive teaching, beautifully reflecting UTEP’s institutional values.”
Last Updated on November 25, 2025 at 12:00 AM | Originally published November 25, 2025
By MC Staff UTEP Marketing and Communications
