Meet Your Waukee Band Directors and Staff
Mr. Rishi Kolusu is entering his fourth year at Waukee High School, where he directs the Waukee Wind Symphony, Waukee Jazz Two, and co-directs the Waukee Warrior Regiment. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Kolusu spent two years teaching fifth grade band in Waukee and spent a season on brass staff with the River City Rhythm Drum and Bugle Corps. Mr. Kolusu graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and a minor in Jazz Studies in December 2018. There, he played in the university's top ensembles and composed two charts for UNI Jazz Band One. His composition “Vibrant Lights” was the title track of UNI Jazz Band One’s 2018-2019 recording. Mr. Kolusu spent two summers with the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps (2014 and 2017) and is a founding member of the Cedar Falls based Biscotti Brass Quintet.
Mr. Kolusu is an active trumpet player. He performs regularly with the Paul Lichty Jazz Orchestra, the Des Moines Big Band, the Max Wellman Big Band, BYOBrass, the 515 Brass Collective, Gina Gedler, the Diamond Empire Band, and others. He is an alumnus of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and is a member of the Iowa Bandmasters Association and the Jazz Educators of Iowa. When Mr. Kolusu isn't teaching or making music, he enjoys playing video games, cooking, being outside, listening to music and podcasts, and spending time with friends and family.
Drake
Kyler is a performer, educator, and composer living in the Des Moines area. He draws from his experience in The Colts Drum & Bugle Corps, River City Rhythm Indoor, and The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps to help students maximize their capabilities in the realm of marching percussion. Aside from education, Kyler has experience in composing for marching band and other ensembles, including his own experimental music that combines elements from all genres. Kyler keeps a busy schedule of teaching and performing on drumset while he completes a masters in education from Drake University.
Lawson Port is from West Des Moines, Iowa, and graduated from Waukee High School in 2022. He participated in marching band throughout high school and many other musical ensembles there. After graduation, he moved up to Ames, where he attended Iowa State University, working on a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering. At Iowa State, Lawson has marched with the Cyclone Marching Band since his first year and plans to march up until graduation. He also marched with Crossroads Indoor Percussion in 2023 and currently takes private lessons from world-class performer and educator Dawson Kling, a teacher for Rhythm X and the Cavaliers. Lawson is stoked to be back for year two with the band and can't wait to get started!
PJ VanDerWeide graduated from Iowa State University in 2020 with a bachelor's degree in Music Education. She previously taught in the PCM and Winterset school districts, and served as the trumpet captain and drum major of the ISU marching band. Ms. VanDerWeide currently teaches 6th and 7th grade bands at Trailridge Middle School. She attended Gilbert High School, and currently resides in Des Moines.
Hello, my name is Lucas Haviland. While I graduated from Waukee High School in the class of 2022, I am currently in my third year at DePaul University pursuing a BFA in Film and Television with a concentration in Screenwriting and a minor in Sound Design. Being able to blend two of my passions, writing, and music, I have been able to explore new opportunities as well as revisit past experiences. During my time with the Waukee Band Program, I was lead tenor saxophone in Waukee Jazz 1 for two years, drum major when the WWR attended the Rose Parade in 2022, and a participant in every other band program that Waukee had to offer from show choir band to musical pit band. After Waukee, I auditioned for and was selected to be a member of DePaul’s Wind Symphony as the only non-music major in the ensemble. While I participated in this program for a year, I decided to focus on my degree and now am a member of the DePaul Pep Band as a clarinet player. Outside of music, I write scripts and stories and participate in a plethora of student film projects as well as internships with companies based in both LA and NYC. I am so excited to work with the WWR this year!