Born and raised in Humacao, Puerto Rico, Dr. Jose Rosa has been playing percussion since the age of five. At eleven, he began formal music lessons with Professor Jose “Tito” Rivera at the Escuela Libre de Música de Humacao. By the age of twelve, he joined the Humacao Municipal Band, led by Professor Germán Peña Plaza, performing in Venezuela, New York, Costa Rica, the Virgin Islands, and the Dominican Republic. At fourteen, he continued his training with Professor Jose "Pepe" Torres at the Escuela Libre de Música de Caguas. He has performed with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, the Puerto Rico Concert Band, and various local ensembles.

At seventeen, Dr. Rosa was accepted into the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, where he studied percussion under Professor Jose Alicea and played with the America Youth Symphony Orchestra in San Juan. In 1994, he moved to the U.S. and continued his studies at the University of Miami and Florida International University. He later relocated to Orlando, where he worked at Walt Disney World and performed with local bands.

Dr. Rosa earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Central Florida, a Master of Music in Music Technology and Game Audio Production from Southern Utah University, a second Master of Education in Global Education from Arizona State University, and a Doctor of Education in Applied Learning Science from the University of Miami.

Throughout his career, Dr. Rosa has performed alongside world-class artists such as Arturo Sandoval, Tito Puente, Marcos Barrientos, Giovanni Hidalgo, the Gipsy Kings, Danilo Montero, Bobby Cruz, Charlene Stewart, Gregg Bissonette, and Liam Teague, among others. His experience includes performances in Disney’s Tarzan Rocks and The Village Beatniks at Animal Kingdom, Universal Studios’ I Love Lucy Tribute Show, and appearances on PBS’s Jazz Then and Now and the Travel Channel’s The Making of Disney's Animal Kingdom. Dr. Rosa splits his time between New York and Cartago, Costa Rica, where he teaches and records at the Dr. Jose Rosa Percussion Studio, his drums and percussion school located in both cities. He leads his band, Jose Rosa and Friends, producing albums and opening for artists like Franco De Vita.

An accomplished author, Dr. Rosa has published several instructional music books, including Beyond the Secret Hand, The Contemporary Hand Drummer, New World Reference Guide, Modern Tumbadoras: How to Play Congas, Advanced Latin Drumming Independence, New World Music History, The Art of Latin Drumming, Advanced Coordination for the Tumbadoras, Timbales: The History of the Instrument That Became the Heartbeat of Latin Music, and Extreme and Killer 4-Way Coordination for the 21st Century Drummer. His instructional video, The Contemporary Hand Drummer, is available online.

In 2015, Dr. Rosa was inducted into the Puerto Rico Music Hall of Fame for his contributions to music.

Dr. Rosa is proud to endorse Pearl Drums and Percussion, Paiste Cymbals, Remo Drum Heads, Pro-Mark Drumsticks, Purecussion Percussion, and Cympad. His passion for performance and education continues to inspire musicians worldwide.