Dr. Brian Gardiner is a versatile performer, having performed throughout the U.S.A. and Canada with professional orchestras, rock bands, dance and choral groups, as well as chamber ensembles. He is a member of the percussion section with the Portland Opera and the Oregon Coast Music Festival, and the Principal Percussionist of the Portland Choir & Orchestra. He also performs regularly with the Oregon Symphony, the Third Angle New Music Ensemble, Oregon Ballet Theatre, the Portland Columbia Symphony, and the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus. He has performed throughout the United States and under the batons of such conductors as Gerard Schwarz, Carlos Kalmar, Roberto Abbado, David Robertson, Michael Stern, Cliff Colnot, David Effron, Murry Sidlin, Uri Mayer, and Miguel Harth-Bedoya, among others. He has appeared on stage with such acts as Béla Flek and the Flektones, Rufus Wainwright, and the Indigo Girls, just to name a few. He also performed on two of the Oregon Symphony’s Grammy nominated recordings, Music for a Time of War, and Spirit of the American Range.
As a supporter of new music, Gardiner has performed with Indiana University’s New Music Ensemble, the Oregon Marimba Quartet, and the Oregon Percussion Ensemble. He also co-founded the APEX Percussion duo, and the Portland Percussion Group. He has been a highly sought after drum set artist in Oregon, performing with many regional and national recording artists such as Federale, Tractor Operator, Dan Jones and the Squids, and the Sugar Beets. Brian also was employed by the dance department of the University of Oregon to accompany both modern and African dance classes, and to play in the school’s African dance troupe. Federale’s music has been featured on the CW network’s program, Supernatural, as well as on a number of television commercials. They have also appeared on NPR’s show Livewire!, as well as a number of feature films, and television commercials. 2014′s A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night features a number of Federale compositions, as well as Brian’s own composition, “Thirsty’s Return.”
As an educator, he currently serves as an Adjunct Professor of Music at the University of Portland, Reed College, and at Portland Community College (Rock Creek campus) in Portland, Oregon. Brian has taught percussion camps and master classes at schools across the United States, and is an invited clinician at public schools and universities. Brian received the degree of Doctor Of Music in Percussion Performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music under the guidance of Professors John Tafoya, Kevin Bobo, and Steve Houghton. He has also studied with retired Indiana University professors Anthony Cirone and Gerald Carlyss. As a Doctoral student at Indiana University he was awarded a highly sought after Associate Instructor position in the percussion department. Brian received a Master of Music degree in Percussion Performance, with honors, from the University of Oregon, under the guidance of Professor Charles Dowd.
Brian Gardiner endorses Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets.
More information about Federale can be found at www.federalepdx.com
