Dr. Egha Kusuma is a musician, percussionist, performer, and educator. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) degree in Percussion Performance from Arizona State University where he studied with Dr. J.B. Smith, Dr. Michael Compitello, Shaun Tilburg, Simone Mancuso, and Dom Moio. While at ASU, Dr. Kusuma served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant teaching percussion lessons to both undergraduate and graduate students, directing the ASU Pan Devils steel band, and teaching drum circle class. He earned a Master of Music (M.M.) degree in Percussion Performance from Brigham Young University where he studied percussion with Dr. Ron Brough and Jay Lawrence, and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Music-Percussion from Brigham Young University-Hawaii where he studied percussion with Dr. Darren Duerden and. As a performer, Dr. Kusuma has received awards from numerous competitions, including the Percussive Arts Society.

Dr. Kusuma is an orchestral percussionist, a world percussionist, and a jazz musician. As an orchestral percussionist, he has performed with several large ensembles including Utah Wind Symphony, Utah Philharmonic Orchestra, and Utah Millennial Choir & Orchestra. As a world percussionist, he has performed in various world music settings that include his past work experience at the Polynesian Cultural Center as a percussionist and Polynesian drummer to present the culture of Polynesia countries such as Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, and New Zealand through music. Moreover, he has performed in salsa orchestra, steel bands, latin marimba, Balinese gamelan, and Javanese gamelan ensembles. Dr. Kusuma is currently a solo steel pan artist and the lead pan player of the Desert Pan in Arizona. Previously he played steel pan Pan Steelers and Calypso Tide, two top professional steel bands in Utah. Dr. Kusuma’s drum set and jazz experience are diverse. He was a drum set player for BYU-Hawaii Shaka Steel Band, Salsa Orchestra, Good Vibes Jazz Combo, and Pan Devils Steel Band. In addition, he is experienced in jazz improvisation as well.

In addition to his college teaching experiences, Dr. Kusuma had taught percussion at several different K-12 schools in Utah including at Lehi High School, Spanish Fork High School, and American Preparatory Academy where he taught percussion method classes, marching band front ensemble, private lessons, and direct percussion ensembles. Besides teaching, he serves as a clinician and adjudicator for high schools. Dr. Kusuma enjoys teaching percussion, and has a passion for witnessing the growth of the students he teaches. 

Education

D.M.A. (Doctor of Musical Arts), Percussion Performance, Arizona State University, 2021 

M.M. (Master of Music), Percussion Performance, Brigham Young University, 2014.

B.A. (Bachelor of Arts), Music (Percussion), Brigham Young University-Hawaii, 2012.