It is NMMI Music Department’s goal to develop the musical potential of our cadets—while providing ample opportunity for performance participation, academic growth, and the development of leadership skills.
NMMI offers private piano and guitar lessons, Music Appreciation and Music Theory (college only) classes, and extra-curricular clubs/ensembles for cadet string players and those interested in pop instrumental styles.
Cadets participating in our performing groups have the opportunity to serve as musical ambassadors for the Institute. Cadets have traveled from coast-to-coast performing at places like Disneyland, Six Flags, SeaWorld, New York City, and Washington, DC. And cadet music groups have visited all of the U.S. Service Academies—as well as many U.S. Military bases—and have performed for two presidential inaugurations.
View the different Music Department areas of study in the dropdown below.
Regimental Band
The Regimental Band has a mission to provide music for ceremonies and parades, including Changes of Command, RAT Intermediate Ceremony, and Parade on the Main Street. The objectives of the Regimental Band are to provide an opportunity for instrumentalists of diverse abilities and interests an opportunity to perform music in the military band tradition.
Drum Major: MSG Vitor Assis
Assistant Drum Major: MSG Ravi Barbosa
Operational Manager: SGT Brayden Galarza
Public Relations and Media Specialist: LTC Giovanna de Souza
Concert Band
The Concert Band is the Institute’s premier concert band. Its mission is to provide instrumentalists of advanced technical proficiency a pre-professional ensemble experience. The repertoire the band plays is unique and covers various styles of music: march, classical music, movie and video game themes, as well as contemporary literature. The objectives of the Concert Band are to rehearse and perform repertoire of the highest quality and develop a high degree of refinement and independence in cadets’ ability to communicate musically in ensemble settings.
Jazz Band
Jazz Band is the Institute’s showcase jazz ensemble. The band provides music at various events, including the Roswell Jazz Festival, Eastern New Mexico University Jazz Festival, and Eastern New Mexico State Fair. The versatile ensemble performs all styles of music: Jazz, Rock, Samba, Salsa, Bossa Nova, Pop, and Funk. Not only instrumentalists but also vocalists are engaged in the ensemble and receive high-quality training. The objectives of the Jazz Band are that cadets learn the foundation of jazz vocabulary and improvisation, which applies to other styles of music.
Team Leader: SGT Carlos Da Silva
Operational Manager: SSG Augusto Lima Goncalves
Percussion Technical Advisor: CPT Lucas Dias
Drumline
Drumline is an integral and unique part of the Military Institute. Its mission is that the drummers provide cadence for a march-by every day. The objectives of the drumline are to enhance cadets’ leadership and commitment (duty, honor and achievement), improve their percussion skills, and collaborate with the Regimental Band and Athletic Band.
Commander: MSG Ravi Barbosa
Deputy Drumline Commander: SFC Samudra Subbaraman
Bugle Call
Bugle Call is an integral and unique part of the Military Institute. Buglers provide a signal announcing the scheduled event, including Reveille, Retreat and Taps. The objectives of the bugle call are to enhance cadets’ leadership and commitment (duty, honor and achievement), improve their bugle skills, and provide music with Silver Taps.
Leader: MSG Vitor Assis
Athletic Band
The Athletic Band’s mission is to provide spirit and entertainment for the athletic events, including Bronco and Colt’s Football, Volleyball and Basketball games. The objectives of the athletic band are to enhance cadets’ musicianship, provide energy, build teamwork and have fun through rehearsing and performing music.
Concert Choir
Concert Choir:
The NMMI Concert Choir is open to all cadets regardless of skill or previous experience, and no audition is necessary for admission. Concert Choir members enroll in the Concert Choir class for which they receive academic credit, and rehearsals take place during class time three times per week. The Concert Choir performs one formal concert at NMMI per semester, with varied other formal and informal performances taking place both on and off post. Members of the Concert Choir travel on a performance or recruitment trip each year to destinations that have included Southern California, Washington DC, and others.
Vocal Ensemble
Vocal Ensemble:
Our advanced choral group is the NMMI Vocal Ensemble, which is open to experienced singers by audition. Cadets wishing to join the Vocal Ensemble may contact their advisor or the director for more information. The Vocal Ensemble participates in most of the same events as the Concert Choir, with additional performance opportunities. This past year, the Vocal Ensemble was featured on a local radio program in Roswell and performed a classic rock concert in Pearson Auditorium together with a local classic rock cover band, Johnny and the Crashers.
LTC Wat Niimori, D.M.A.
LTC Wat Niimori, D.M.A.
Bandmaster, Associate Professor of Music
Area of Teaching:
Beginning Band
Advanced Band
Jazz Band
Applied Music
Chamber Ensemble: Wind, Brass, Percussion, Guitar and Strings
Piano Class
Bio
The award winner, Dr. Wataru (Wat) Niimori, is a pianist, composer, orchestrator, conductor, music preparator, and educator from Kyoto, Japan. He is a Lieutenant Colonel, Bandmaster and Associate Professor of Music at the New Mexico Military Institute. He directs the Regimental Band, Concert Band, Athletic Band, Drumline, Bugle Call, and Jazz Band at the NMMI. He also serves the United States 300th Army Band.
He earned a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Composition from Temple University, a Master of Music in Jazz Studies (keyboard and composition) from Indiana University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition with an emphasis on orchestra conducting from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he received the Fellowship Award.
As a pianist, Dr. Niimori was trained in Classical music and explored Jazz, Rock, Latin, and Country music. He won the Silver Prize in the Yamaha Piano Competition and 1st prize in the Kinki Piano Competition in Japan. After he moved to the U.S., he was a rehearsal pianist for Broadway shows, toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and joined several recording sessions. He performed with various musicians, including Bobby Shew, Darmon Meader, Terrel Stafford, and Victor Lewis. He also performed solo piano at various concert halls, including Jazz at the Lincoln Center in New York and Powell Hall in St. Louis.
As a music preparator, he worked with film, TV, and video game productions in Los Angeles, assisting John Williams, Danny Elfman, and Alexandre Desplat through JoAnn Kane Music Service. He was also involved in the video game project, Ghost of Tsushima, by Sony Interactive Entertainment.
As a composer, orchestrator, and conductor, he has performed in the U.S., Australia, Croatia and Japan. His compositions include scores for a documentary film, Nebraska Stories: VIETNAM, produced by Nebraska Educational Telecommunication, and a short film selected by the Omaha Film Festival 2018, Central Incompetence. He also received a commission to compose and conduct music for the chamber ensemble, Emily Dickinson Song Cycle and String Quartet No. 1 in G Major, at the Milna Summer Music Festival in Croatia. Recently, he orchestrated Toby Keith’s American Soldier for the U.S. 300th Army Band (concert band) and performed for the world premiere at Fort. Knox, KY, in August 2024.
Dr. Niimori previously taught at University of Kansas, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Temple University and Goddard High School.
LTC Scott Tripp, DMA
Dr. Scott Tripp is Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at New Mexico Military Institute, were here holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He has performed professionally as both singer and conductor in the United States, Europe, and South America. He has performed with organizations such as the Asociacion Pro Arte y Cultura of Bolivia, the Barcelona Festival of Song, Florida Grand Opera, the Central Florida Bach Society, the Imperial Symphony Orchestra, Magic City Opera, Orchestra Miami, the Alhambra Orchestra, and others. Past academic appointments have included Lecturer of Music at the University of Miami Frost School of Music, Instructor of Voice at the University of Miami Department of Music Theater, Lecturer of Music at the Florida International University School of Music, and Instructor of Voice at the University of Florida’s New World School of the Arts. He earned the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in vocal pedagogy at the University of Miami, and also serves as Choirmaster and Director of Music at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Roswell.
