Gary Rutkowski has been a CMS faculty member since 1983, offering individual drum and percussion lessons to students. After receiving his associate of Arts degree at Villa Maria College under John Rowland, he completed his Bachelor of Arts and master of Fine Arts degrees at the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he studied under Jan Williams and Lynn Harbold. Gary previously taught at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and Buffalo State College. He is currently adjunct professor of percussion at Villa Maria College. Aside from teaching, Gary has performed extensively around the United States and Canada. He joined the Maelstrom Percussion Ensemble in 1984 and currently performs with the Clarence Summer Orchestra, the Rutkowski/Van Dyke Duo of marimba and guitar, the Scott Helfrich Trio, and Ghetto Gitano-a Latin and World Music Ensemble. He has also performed for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra as a substitute percussionist, the S.E.M. Ensemble and WBFO Radio, in addition to solo performances. Gary has made numerous solo and group recordings, including an original recording entitled “The History of the Future,” completed in 1996. Other recordings include works with the Maelstrom Percussion Ensemble, two Patrick Bernhardt works entitled “Manuscrits du Silence” and “Mantra Mandala,” and his most recent, a recording of music for drums and bass guitar with bassist Jim Kurzdorfer.