Our Staff

Brenda Myers
Founder & Director

Brenda Myers, a Music Performance degree holder from CSU Fresno (1981), became a skilled percussionist and teacher. Her career included freelancing, orchestra performances, and teaching in Fresno and Clovis Unified School Districts. Inspired by Afro-Cuban and Brazilian drumming, she earned a Masters in West African/Caribbean Music (2006). Founding We Got the Beat Youth Percussion Band in 2000, Brenda’s innovative aural teaching style earned them recognition. They performed at numerous events and adapted to virtual teaching during the pandemic. Now boasting an all-WGTB teaching staff, Brenda’s passion continues to inspire students, leaving a lasting impact on the music community.

Read more about Brenda…

Roman Rivera
Ensemble Director

Roman Rivera is a multifaceted musician and devoted music educator, whose journey began at the age of 7 when they first embraced the drums. As a former member of We Got the Beat under Brenda Myers, Roman’s musical aspirations soared, leading them to achieve numerous awards and accolades.

As a recent magna cum laude graduate of CSU Fresno with a BA in Music Education, Roman achieved notable accolades, including 2nd place Multi Percussion Soloist and 3rd place Marimba Soloist in California PAS competitions. Other noteworthy triumphs include being named the 2016 SJVC GPR snare drum solo champion, and attaining the prestigious DCI Open Class gold medalist distinction in 2015. 

After being a touring drummer for various musical projects in their late teens, Roman started “roman around” and made a significant impact with their debut singles, receiving premieres on the esteemed KCRW “Morning Becomes Eclectic” radio show. Additionally, their music gained recognition on Spotify Fresh Finds’ editorial playlists and garnered critical acclaim from tastemaker sites like Dummy, Ones To Watch, and Grimy Goods.

Beyond their performances, Roman remains deeply committed to supporting fellow artists in the Fresno community and actively contributing to various music projects, solidifying their influence as versatile and dedicated musician.

Brandy Ruelas Moore
Mallet Specialist

Brandy Ruelas Moore began her musical training at the age of nine and continued her studies in jazz and world music with a focus on percussion and vibraphone. Brandy is a Fresno native, but lived in Brooklyn for several years working as a musician and private music teacher with Blue Balloon School for Songwriting. She graduated with a Bachelor’s in Music from Hunter College in Manhattan and earned a California teaching credential at the Kremen School of Education and Human Development at CSUF, graduating as an outstanding credential. Brandy has toured, recorded and collaborated nationwide, in Central America, and in Europe, with many artists in various musical styles. Having an extremely positive musical education, Brandy enjoys pushing boundaries. She has a passion for teaching and believes in a creative approach to music education and is constantly exploring new ways to innovate her teaching style. Currently, Brandy is a music teacher at Fresno Unified and a teaching assistant with We Got The Beat.

Landon Peckham
Drum Set

Landon Peckham is a percussionist who enjoys wide-ranging genres of music. He has performed with California All-State Honor Bands multiple times along with other honor groups. His interests include music composition, arranging, and audio engineering. He has been performing, teaching, and arranging with We Got The Beat for over 10 years. His first love is drum set, but he is equally at home in percussion ensembles and orchestras. When not performing with various jazz combos, jam sessions, progressive rock/metal bands, or orchestras, he is working on music production and covers of a wide variety of music.

Cade Peckham
Bass Player

Cade Peckham is a multi-instrumentalist performer who enjoys a wide variety of musical styles. He has been around the We Got The Beat programs for a decade. After starting with piano, then percussion, he was led to the double bass. He has performed with a number of musical groups including We Got The Beat, Milestones Youth Jazz Workshop, Youth Orchestras of Fresno, Fresno State Orchestra Summer Academy, and various jazz combos. He enjoys performing jazz and orchestral styles, participating in music festivals and camps, and performing in various solo opportunities.