World Percussion Committee Panel
Tusa Montes is a percussionist, ethnomusicologist, and educator who specializes in the musics of the Philippines, Asia, West Africa and Latin America. She graduated in 2012 with a MM (Master of Music) Musicology degree at the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Music. She taught at the University of Santos Tomas Conservatory of Music for 10 years. She is currently a Senior Lecturer at the UP College of Music.
Tusa has performed and recorded in various projects, events, and festivals in the Philippines and abroad. Some events include “Gongster’s Paradise” Kulintang festival in the USA, “Rain Motions: Connecting (with) the Skies of Southeast Asia” Festival in Thailand, “Padyak Hamburg” in Germany, and Virtual PASIC. She has performed with notable local and international music artists such as Joe Bataan, royal hartigan, Edsel Gomez, Leonard Eto, Bob Aves, Grace Nono, and Bo Razon.
Tusa is currently pursuing her PhD Music degree at the UP College of Music.
Tusa has performed and recorded in various projects, events, and festivals in the Philippines and abroad. Some events include “Gongster’s Paradise” Kulintang festival in the USA, “Rain Motions: Connecting (with) the Skies of Southeast Asia” Festival in Thailand, “Padyak Hamburg” in Germany, and Virtual PASIC. She has performed with notable local and international music artists such as Joe Bataan, royal hartigan, Edsel Gomez, Leonard Eto, Bob Aves, Grace Nono, and Bo Razon.
Tusa is currently pursuing her PhD Music degree at the UP College of Music.
Deep Resonances: The Gong Cultures of Asia
Session Description:
In many parts of Asia, there is a gong culture that is deeply embedded in the way of life in many communities. Gongs can be played on various occasions like formal rituals and community celebrations. Gongs can be played to communicate and transmit messages, for healing sickness, and for invoking the divine.
This panel seeks to explore the centrality of the gong in music traditions in Asia. It will focus on how–in countries like India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, and Thailand–there are many places where playing the gongs are considered sacred, powerful expressions of musical identity that is indispensable in the community. The discussion will include how social and economic changes affect the transmission and context in which these gongs are performed. The panel will discuss the impact of the gong culture in percussion performance practice, and the emerging musical trends happening locally and globally because of these gong traditions.
Session Category:
- Panel Discussion
- |
- World
Date:
Friday, November 14, 2025
Time:
10:00 AM
Location:
Room 209
Session Type:
Panel Discussion
Session Format:
Live
