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Kelly Cruz
Kelly Cruz

Role(s):

Summer Symposium Faculty

Specialties:

Percussion

Affiliations:

Cruz graduated from James Logan High School, in Union City CA, in 2013. Her commitment to music has been front and center throughout her academic career. As a member of the Young Musicians Program (YMP) in Berkeley, California, she studied percussion with Ndugu Chancler, and participated in several ensembles and world percussion groups around the Bay Area, including YMP Youth Orchestra, Jazz ensembles and the African drumming ensemble led by Baba Ken Okulolo.Cruz earned her degree in May 2018 in Popular Music Drum Set Performance at USC, studying under Ndugu Chancler, Peter Erskine, Aaron Serfaty and Patrice Rushen. She performed with various ensembles including jazz ensembles, the USC Latin pop ensemble and the Orange County Chamber ensemble. She was also the featured percussionist with the Grammy award-winning band Ozomatli. Cruz was the Percussion Marketing Intern for Yamaha Corporation of America during summer 2018 where she worked with the marketing team to create promotional materials targeting music education programs as well as assisting drum corps with materials. She continues to gig with various artists in Los Angeles.