Dominick Cuccia

Dominick Cuccia’s drumming career began in October of 1976 when he joined the Young Colonials Fife & Drum Corps in Lake Carmel, New York. His instructors were Gary Gillotti and Mary Comer, both students of the Earl Sturtze method of drumming. He became drum instructor in 1981 at the age of 13, a position he held until 1994. From 1989 through 1992 the corps dominated, winning 4 consecutive Northeastern and New York State Championships, as well as many titles in the Connecticut, Hudson Valley, and Greater Danbury Area Drum Corps Associations.

They also won many High Drum awards, including three Earl Sturtze trophies. During his high school years, Dominick studied privately with Jeffrey P. Funnell. In 1985 he attended Wilkes College (now University), where he studied percussion with Robert A. Nowak. He graduated in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in music education. In 1996 he received his master’s degree from Northwestern State University (NSU) of Louisiana in Natchitoches, under the direction of Ken Green. Upon graduation, Dominick was hired back at NSU, teaching major and minor study lessons, drumline, and percussion ensemble. From 1991-1994 Dominick played with the United States Military Academy Band’s legendary field music group, The Hellcats, stationed at West Point, New York.

During this time he teamed up with Paul Murtha writing marching band charts for CPP Belwin. In 1997 and 1998 he performed with Walt Disney World’s Founders of Freedom Fife & Drum Corps in Orlando, Florida. He also has had the opportunity to study privately with rudimental master Nick Attanasio and jazz legend Joe Morello.

In 1998 he returned to New York to pursue a career in music education and marry his drum corps sweetheart, Therese Rock (they met as members of the Young Colonials). Today he works for the Paul Effman Music Service as an instrumental teacher for children in parochial schools. In addition he serves as musical director of the Civil War Troopers Fife & Drum Corps and is a drum instructor for The Regulators Fife & Drum Corps. In 2002 he performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention as part of the historic Drummers Heritage Concert and was a clinician at PASIC 2003. He is also the chairman of the music committee for The Company of Fifers & Drummers, and is music editor for the Ancient Times, the premier publication of the fife & drum world.

His newest project, Dreaded Drummer Productions, is dedicated to preserving and advancing fife & drum music through clinics, recitals, concerts, recordings, and publications.