Pioneer Ridge Middle School is in the Independence School District in Independence, MO, a large suburb in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The school gets its name from the deep historical roots in the Independence, MO community, as it was the starting point for the three well-known trails used for westward expansion, the Santa Fe Trail, the California Trail, and the Oregon Trail. The Pioneer Ridge Percussion Ensemble is very active within the KC metro and within the state of Missouri, having received numerous “Exemplary” ratings at festivals, and having performed at the Missouri Day of Percussion, hosted and run by the Missouri Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society. The Pioneer Ridge Percussion Ensemble often meets after school to allow for 7th and 8th grade students to rehearse and perform together. The director of the Pioneer Ridge Percussion Ensemble is Jeremy Meyer. Mr. Meyer is the head band director at Pioneer Ridge Middle School and Truman High School in the Independence School District. Mr. Meyer received his Bachelor’s Degree in Instrumental Music Education from Northwest Missouri State University and his Master’s Degree in Music Education with an Emphasis in Conducting from the University of Central Missouri. He is active in percussion education throughout the region and serves as the Vice President of the Missouri Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society.