Ronny Emil Caruso

About Ronny Emil Caruso

I have been a professional musician for most of my life. I am College educated and Conservatory trained. I am a freelance percussionist who plays several different genres of music. I play orchestral music, Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian music. I have been a show drummer and jazz drummer. I have played mallet instruments for studios, recording stacks of music for regional commercials. I also played Flamenco for many years. I am also an Educator teaching Orchestral Drums and Percussion, Music Theory, Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian Drumming, The Theory of Clave, Composition, and Music Literature in classroom settings, privately and in group lectures and hands-on demonstrations. Education in the Arts has always been very important to me and has been a large part of my professional career. I have been associated with the Famed Microtonal Music Composer, Harry Partch, since 1972. I played and toured extensively with \"The Harry Partch Ensemble\" under the direction of Harry Partch and Danlee Mitchell. We toured throughout the United States and in Europe playing major music festivals like the \"Aspen Music Festival\"(1984) and the \"Berlin New Music Festival\"\" Fur Augen und Ohren\"(1980). I played with that ensemble from 19••••87. I was an Artist in Residence for the Arizona Residency Roster throughout Maricopa County. I also taught as an Artist in Residence for California\'s Young Audiences throughout the San Diego County area. I have taught after school music classes for the Washington School District. I have taught adult classes at Mesa Arts Center for two years and Phoenix Center for the Arts for three years. I performed, taught and demonstrated Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian drumming at Guitar Centers in Phoenix. I taught weekly classes at Modified Arts. I taught drums and percussion at Harmony House and at Kirk\'s Studio For the Performing Arts. I have also taught high school drum-lines in San Diego and Phoenix. In San Diego. I adjudicated at Solo and Ensemble Festivals. My group Bata Ire played for the opening of the Music Instrument Museum with many subsequent performances and the Phoenix Art Museum\'s \"Walkabout\" performing among the art on a regular basis from 20••••13.

Experience

1. Substitute Teacher

   ESS

   Jan 2026 — Present · Phoenix, AZ, US

   Work at the Phoenix Unified High School District for the Arizona Department of Education.

Education

• San Diego State University

  Bachelor of Music in Applied Arts and Sciences, Music Performance

• Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba's "responsable" Alberto Peñalver Villareal

  Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, Afro-Cuban Music

• Continuing Studies Grant after graduation

  Brazilian Folkloric Music

• Center For World Music

  Apprenticeship , World Music