Meet Khuent Rose
Immediately after graduating Midwood High School 16, Khuent Rose received a music scholarship to Florida Memorial University (Steel pan performance/ jazz influenced) under the tutelage of Ethnomusicologist Dr. Dawn Batson-Borel. Influenced by Dr. Melton Mustafa (Jazz), Dr. Richard Yaklich, Feliz Spengler and classmates Leon Foster Thomas and Freddie Harris III, Rose developed an inimitable style of music. Faculty eventually encouraged other venues better suited for his advanced studies. In his 2nd year he returned to NY and was commissioned by Martin Douglas to be the Musical Director of Crossfire Steel Orchestra; he continued his studies at Brooklyn College (Music Composition) under the guidance of Dr. Benjamin Bierman and Dr. Tania Leon. In the Spring of 2010, he graduated with a Bachelor’s in Music Composition and a Minor in English and Philosophy. At Brooklyn College he was able to debut several works during Student Composer concerts, perform in the Jazz and Percussion ensembles, and receive the De Los Mederos special award in music in Composition.
He’s been a Teaching Artist at The International Arts and Business School (Wingate Campus) and William E. Grady High School, the Musical director of the Premier Baptist Church (East Flatbush) and privately mentors several musicians and ensembles throughout the New York area and internationally in remote settings. After exiting a 4-year residency as Principal musician at the Elim International Fellowship (Bed-Stuy) he resumed operating as a teaching artist at Leadership Prep Charter School and Paul Robeson High School. He regularly performs with Andre White, Kareem Thompson and Baba Neil Clarke as a keyboardist steelpannist, accompanist or Music Director.
Somewhere betwixt obsession and scientific study, Khuent self-didactyly began tuning and restoring steelpans 8 years ago. Bands he’s tuned for in NY include CASYM, Pan Evolution, Pantonics, Metro, Higher Levin, Pan Sonatas, Tropical Fete, Crossfire, Pan Stars, Utopia Pan Soul, Next Generation, Unison Steel and various schools and churches. Borrowing from the advice of many tuning colleagues and written studies on the craft, he is the only Steelpan tuner born in New York.
Rose his lectured, conducted and instructed at the campuses of Medgar Evers, Brooklyn College, The New
School, City Tech, various conservatories, and secondary and higher education institutions. He currently is in his 6th year as a Lead Music teacher at the Achievement First Brooklyn High School Charter school.
