Music Professor Janine Riveire will receive the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) Kudos Award. The organization's quarterly award recognizes members whose outstanding work and dedication in the field goes above and beyond and creates a lasting impact that can help to inspire others.

Riveire serves as the president of ASTA Los Angeles, a large section of CalASTA that includes nine counties with a population of more than 16 million. Riveire leads a well run sixteen-member all-volunteer board of people from varying backgrounds with vision, professionalism, enthusiasm, and certain expertise.

A major accomplishment for Riveire is her work with outlying areas such as Bakersfield and Paso Robles, looking to provide more opportunities by creating a new section titled Central Coast Section and moving the Bakersfield members into the active Fresno Section. She is also actively working to expand and update the now 50-year-old solo competition.

"Being part of ASTA has connected me to so many interesting and passionate people" she says of receiving the award. "In a state with so many music generalists, getting to talk shop with other strings specialists is not always an easy thing, so ASTA gatherings are precious - whether at national conferences or at local meet-and-greet functions or local board meetings. I'm constantly inspired by the dedication of my ASTA colleagues, and hope I live up to their examples. This recognition tells me I'm on the right track."