Tobie Wilkinson
Senior Lecturer

Education

B.M. and B.M.E. Central Michigan University; M.M. Rice University

Biography

Senior Lecturer of Music, Tobie Wilkinson has been a member of the music faculty since 2002. Since his appointment, the percussion studio has become a thriving and vibrant place to train young percussionists using the "total percussion" model, and is a respected member of the percussive community. In addition to concerts every semester on the UWW campus, the UWW Percussion Ensemble has performed at the WSMA State Music Conference, and at the Wisconsin PAS "Day of Percussion".

Active as a free-lance performer, Mr. Wilkinson is currently the Principal Timpanist with the Racine Symphony Orchestra.  He has also performed with the Bel Canto Chorus Orchestra, the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, the Wisconsin Philharmonic, the Madison Symphony, and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Prior to his appointment at UW-Whitewater, he was Principal Percussionist with the Greater Lansing Symphony, and Principal Timpanist with the West Shore Symphony, and Orchestra X in Houston, TX. Mr. Wilkinson was also a member of the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas and Charles Dutoit. In addition, Mr. Wilkinson has performed with touring Broadway companies, and pop artists for special events.

Equally active as a chamber musician, Mr. Wilkinson performs on faculty recitals and is co-founder of the UW-Whitewater new music ensemble, SONICT. The UW-Whitewater Percussion Ensemble also performs on many SONICT concerts under his direction.

In his role as Associate Director of the Warhawk Marching Band, Mr. Wilkinson works closely with the percussion section as instructor and arranger. He also adjudicates marching bands, and has worked with numerous high school percussion sections across the Midwest. Mr. Wilkinson also serves as a judge for solo/ensemble festivals in Wisconsin for WSMA.

Dedicated to teaching young musicians, Mr. Wilkinson has hosted Percussion Camp every summer since his appointment in 2002. Percussion Camp enjoys a superb reputation as an outstanding educational and performance experience designed solely for young percussionists. In 2015, Mr. Wilkinson became the Percussion Ensemble director and percussion coach for the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra.   He is a member of the Percussive Arts Society, the Music Educators National Conference, and the American Federation of Musicians. He has served as Secretary, Vice-President, President, and Past-President for the Wisconsin Chapter of PAS, and has twice served as director of the Wisconsin PAS Collegiate All-Star Percussion Ensemble.

Classes Taught

Studio Percussion; Percussion Techniques; Percussion Literature and Pedagogy; UW-W Percussion Ensemble, Sonict New Music Ensemble; Associate Director of the Warhawk Marching Band; Introduction to Classical Music; Marcing Band Techniques