Biography

Jason Tanksley is a Minnesota-based tubist, performer, and educator who serves as Instructor of Tuba at St. Olaf College. He combines high-level performance with mentorship, striving to make classical music inclusive and accessible while inspiring students to explore their own musical voices.

He has performed with many of the nation’s leading orchestras, including The Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, Oregon Symphony, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. In 2022, he appeared with the Kennedy Center Honors Orchestra in a special tribute to honoree Tania León. He has toured nationally with the Sphinx Orchestra, performed internationally with the Minnesota Orchestra, and regularly presents masterclasses abroad and across the United States, helping students build confidence and creativity on their instruments.

In addition to orchestral work, Tanksley is an active chamber musician, soloist, and recording artist, engaging in cross-genre collaborations and educational outreach that bring music to diverse audiences. From 2017 to 2019, he was awarded the Rosemary and David Good Fellowship with the Minnesota Orchestra through a national search.

He earned his Master of Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music under Yasuhito Sugiyama and his Bachelor of Music from Wayne State University under Dennis Nulty. Outside of music, he enjoys exploring the outdoors and traveling, and his focus on personal growth informs the way he approaches both performance and teaching.

Jason is an Eastman Performing Artist, using instruments crafted with care to explore the full expressive possibilities of the tuba.