Percussion Faculty Directory

Brian Gardiner, Adjunct Professor, Percussion

He is a member of the Portland Opera Orchestra and currently freelances in Portland, where he performs regularly with the Oregon Symphony, Third Angle New Music Ensemble, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Portland Columbia Symphony, and Portland Gay Men’s Chorus. He has performed under the batons of such conductors as Gerard Schwarz, Carlos Kalmar, Roberto Abbado, David Robertson, and Michael Stern.

Dr. Gardiner has been a highly sought-after drum set artist in Oregon, performing with regional and national recording artists such as Federale.He currently serves as an Adjunct Professor of Music at Concordia University, Warner Pacific College and Portland Community College. He also teaches privately at Revival Drum Shop in Portland. Brian received his Doctor of Music degree in Percussion Performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

Tyson Stubelek, Adjunct Professor, Jazz Percussion

Portland native, Tyson Stubelek, began playing music at the age of 3 under the guidance of his father, also a drummer. During his youth, Tyson quickly became involved in the local music scene, playing in a number of symphonies and ensembles. Upon meeting and hearing Elvin Jones play live, Tyson, at age twelve, began to focus intently on being a jazz musician, studying with Portland drum gurus Alan Jones and Mel Brown, to whom he attributes much of his musical understanding.

Tyson moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 2005 after rounding out his undergraduate studies at Portland State University, completing a triple major (BM, BS, BS), and continued on with 4 years of graduate level pursuits (MM, GD) at the New England Conservatory, where he studied intently with many of the world’s finest musicians including: Lee Konitz, Dave Holland, George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi, Billy Hart, and Bob Moses. In 2009 Tyson moved to New York City where he continued to work and live as a professional for 4 years.

Tyson has been teaching drum lessons for the past 17 years in schools and privately. He has toured internationally across Canada, the UK, the United States, and has performed with numerous prominent musicians including: Danilo Perez, Esperanza Spaulding, Brian Lynch, Joe Locke, Don Byron, Clay Jenkins, Chuck Isreals, Julian Lage, David Friesen, Glen Moore, Todd Sickafoose, Devin Philips, Shook Twins, Tony Furtado, Anna Tivel, George Colligan, and Darrell Grant.


In 2013, Tyson returned home to Portland where he performs in a variety of stylistically diverse projects and teaches regularly, both privately, as well as at the University of Portland. He remains entirely dedicated to learning new things, bettering himself as a person and musician, and passing on positivity through music community.