Rusty Burge joined the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music faculty in 1992 as a member of Percussion Group Cincinnati, with whom he has performed extensively throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Performances include the Japan World Drum Festival, Chinese International Music Festival, Taipei International Percussion Convention and the Ravinia Festival. He has recorded with the Group for the Mode, Centaur, Einstein and Ars Moderno labels. The Group has also made concerto appearances with more than twenty different symphony orchestras. He was formerly principal percussionist with the West Virginia Symphony. He received his undergraduate degree from the Eastman School of Music and a masters degree from CCM.

Professor Burge teaches percussion, jazz vibraphone and directs the CCM Percussion Ensemble and Steel Band.  He is an active jazz vibraphonist who has recorded for Summit, J Curve Records, Human Records and Telarc. Burge has collaborated with Ted Nash, Rich Perry, Peter Erskine, Dave Liebman, Rufus Reid, Steve Houghton, Michael Spiro and Jim Rupp. Recent performances at the 2016 and 2021 PASIC Conventions and the 2017 JEN Convention. In 2017 Burge (as a member of PGC) was inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame. His latest recording What’s Next was released in 2022 and features Steve Allee and Steve Houghton.