Glenn "Rusty" Gillette
Lecturer

San Diego State University
Music & Dance Room M-269
Phone: 619 594 5077
Fax: 619 594 1692
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-7902

Office Hours: by appointment
Email: g.rustygillette@cox.net
Education:
B.F.A. Cal Arts
M.A. Ethnomusicology, Wesleyan University

Background:

Glenn “Rusty” Gillette is instructor of traditional South Indian music at San Diego State University. He began his study of South Indian percussion under the mentorship of master percussionist T. Ranganathan at the California Institute of the Arts in 1970 and subsequently studied ghatam in India under T.H. Vinayakaram. Rusty has performed on the ghatam with Geetha and Frank Bennett for several years and has appeared as a featured performer at many world music festivals and conferences. He has performed with noted musicians like T. Viswanathan, T. Ranganathan, Jon Higgins, L. Subramaniam, and Trichy Sankaran and also specializes in mridangam accompaniment for Bharatha Natyam, a unique form of classical Indian dance. A talented teacher/lecturer, Rusty has taught South Indian rhythmic skills and music for The Center for World Music, The Balasarasvati School of Music and Dance, The American Society for Eastern Arts, and The College Music Society, and University of California, San Diego.


In addition to his interest in Indian music, Gillette is also an accomplished jazz pianist/keyboardist who has studied with jazz masters Charlie Haden, Terry Trotter, and Charlie Shoemaker. Rusty now divides his performance time between the music of South India and jazz.

Courses taught at SDSU:
Music 170/370/570 – South Indian Ensemble
Music 305A – Comprehensive Musicianship Lab: India

 


The information on personal home pages represents that of the author and not necessarily that of San Diego State University.
The author takes full responsibility for the information presented.