Performing with more than five orchestras, five symphonies, a Broadway Company and several celebrities are among the accomplishments Music Lecturer Tobie Wilkinson.

Wilkinson has been a percussionist since he was in ninth grade.

He said, however, his love of music began in the fifth grade. Although he has always had a fascination with percussion, he started playing the trumpet because the percussion class offered through his school interfered with the time of his math class.

“My father was an engineer, so math and science were very important to him,” Wilkinson said. “He told me that I could either play the trumpet or not play music at all.”

Although he did not immediately get the chance to play percussion, he said he is thankful for the experiences he had while playing the trumpet because it taught him a lot about reading music.

Wilkinson expanded on his love of music in later years by receiving his bachelor of music and bachelor of music education from Central Michigan University and his master of music from Rice University of Houston.

Wilkinson is considered a “free-lance performer,” and has performed with many different symphonies and orchestras around the world.

To name a few, he has performed with the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, the Racine Symphony, the Madison Symphony and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra.

Wilkinson has also performed with a Broadway company on the production of Hairspray and has shared the stage with such celebrities as Dennis DeYoung, the former keyboardist and vocalists for the band Styx, and Shelly Duvall, who played Wendy in “The Shining.”

Wilkinson said he has shared the stage with many brilliant musicians and world-famous conductors.

He has been a part of UW-Whitewater’s faculty since 2002.

As a member of the staff, Wilkinson is the professor of percussion classes, a co-founder of the new music orchestra titled “Sonict,” the assistant director of the Warhawk Marching Band, and the director of the UW-Whitewater Percussion Ensemble.

The Percussion Ensemble will have a concert at 7:30 p.m. April 12 in the Light Recital Hall.

Wilkinson said the ensemble will perform percussion arrangements ranging from contemporary to classic.

“Basically, Beethoven and beyond,” Wilkinson said.

The ensemble includes 15 UW-Whitewater students. This year, all members are music majors or minors, although all students are welcome to join.

The students will play mostly traditional instruments which can be categorized under mallet and keyboard percussion.

Wilkinson said being a part of the ensemble is the best way for percussion students to get to know their instruments.

Senior Nick Fox, who has been a part of the Percussion Ensemble for five years, said being a part of the ensemble has taught him how to play with other people and take direction from a conductor. Wilkinson has helped him find his voice in the percussion world and discover what he wants to do in the future with his career in music.

The Percussion Ensemble’s concert is free to the public. Wilkinson said all students and community members who come and support the group will be helping them grow into successful musicians.