Xan Perkins, Tuba

Alexander “Xan” Perkins is a low brass musician and clinician/educator currently living in the Pacific Northwest where he is working towards his PhD at Washington State University. At WSU, Xan is the Athletic Band Teaching Assistant and as a student in the Individual Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program he is researching New Orleans Brass Band traditions and their relevance in Higher-Education. Prior to moving to Washington, Xan taught and performed in the greater Kansas City MO/KS metro as a freelance tubist and brass educator. While in Kansas City Xan performed with the Back Alley Brass Band on Sousaphone and held teaching positions at William Jewell College and Missouri Southern State University as Adjunct Instructor of Low Brass and Assistant Jazz Director.
 
Xan holds degrees from the University of Northern Colorado (Master of Music, 2019), and Kansas State University (Bachelor of Music, 2016). As a regular performer and educator in the community, Xan has been a part of many ensembles from small chamber instrumental and vocal groups to mass wind ensembles and orchestras, playing a wide variety of musical genres and styles. As a guest clinician, Xan has worked with many high school and collegiate music programs across the Midwest coaching chamber music groups, directing jazz bands, teaching lessons, and working with marching bands. Xan has also been a guest soloist both as a singer with the KSU Concert Jazz Ensemble and as a tubist with the MSSU Wind Ensemble and Manhattan Municipal Band. Additionally, he and has performed alongside many talented artists and ensembles such as the internationally known brass quintet the Boston Brass, saxophone soloist Anna Marie Wytko, tubist Tim Buzbee, jazz-tubist and former SNL bandleader Howard Johnson, Loveland Chorale Society Singers, and the Greeley Chorale Orchestra. Xan’s teachers and mentors include Dr. Chris Dickey, Dr. Steven Maxwell, Dr. Jason Byrnes, Dr. Paul Hunt, and the late Sam Pilafian.