Brian S. Mason

Dr. Brian S. Mason, Associate Professor of Percussion at Morehead State University, is a highly respected innovator of the contemporary marching percussion ensemble. His career in the DCI activity spanned more than two decades, claiming numerous awards and honors with the Cavaliers, Phantom Regiment, and the Santa Clara Vanguard. In high demand as a clinician, performer, and adjudicator, he has appeared throughout the United States, Asia, Europe, Canada, and Mexico, and his compositions have been performed around the world.

Currently, Brian coordinates the percussion studies program at Morehead State University in Morehead, KY and also directs the award-winning Marching Percussion Ensemble, featured on VicFirth.com in a web-based instructional video series, Marching Percussion 101. At MSU, he performs with the Faculty Jazz Ensemble, the Faculty Chamber Ensemble, and the Faculty Brass Quintet. Off-campus, he is a contract section player with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, and appears as a guest artist with high school and university percussion ensembles across the US.

Brian received his D.M.A. and B.M. as a student of James B. Campbell at the University of Kentucky, and his M.M. at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas as a student of Dr. Dean Gronemeier. He is a member of the Percussive Arts Society Board of Directors, Vic Firth Education Committee, the P.A.S. Health and Wellness Committee, and the P.A.S. Marching Percussion Committee. Brian has published articles in Percussive Notes, has been interviewed in Modern Drummer and Band and Orchestra Magazine, and co-authored the 2000 Modern Drummer Readers Poll’s “No. 1 Drum Set Method Book,” The Commandments of R&B Drumming (Warner Brothers). Brian is a performing artist for Mapex Drums, and Majestic Percussion, Vic Firth sticks and mallets, Zildjian cymbals, Evans drumheads, and Grover Pro Percussion, and his original works are published through Row-Loff Productions, Bachovich Music Publications, and Tap Space Publications.