Our Instructors
Dr. Justin Clarkson
Faculty
TUBIST Dr. Justin Clarkson has been bringing the “low sounds” to the “low country" since 2012. He spends his time as a performer with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, the North Charleston Pops, and the Mount Pleasant Symphony. As an educator you can often find him working with students one on one or in larger settings as Adjunct Professor of Low Brass at Charleston Southern University, Brass Coordinator for Wando High School, and founder of the Charleston Low Brass Seminar. As a human you might find him running half marathons, working out, or enjoying his time at home as a father and husband.
Recently, Dr. Clarkson welcomed the opportunity to perform on the newly recorded album, Under an Indigo Sky, with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra featuring the works of local composer, Edward Hart. He is also proud to have two albums with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas under the Sony label, Travieso Carmesi and Mi Alma Mexicana. Dr. Clarkson is the featured soloist in Revueltas' Sensemaya on the first album, Mi Alma Mexicana.
Dr. Clarkson holds degrees from Louisiana State University (BM), Manhattan School of Music (MM), and Stony Brook University (DMA). He also maintains substitute musician positions with the Savannah Philharmonic, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Albany Symphony, and Hilton Head Symphony. His previous appointments include Adjunct Faculty at the College of Charleston, Visiting Faculty for LSU’s Stately Oaks Chamber Winds and Percussion Camp, Principal Tubist of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, Principal Tubist of the Westchester Chamber Symphony, Principal Tubist with the Charleston Wind Symphony, tuba teacher for the Boston Crusaders, and marching member for The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps (2006). And if that was not enough !
He is also a founding member of two equally successful brass quintets, M5 and Vector Brass (formerly Trinity Brass Quintet). M5 was in residence at the Bravo Vail Valley Music Festival in 2010 and can be seen performing on WQXR’s the McGraw Hill Young Artist Showcase. The other, Vector Brass, was the the fellowship quintet for the Aspen Summer Music Festival in 2008.
He currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina with his wife, soprano, educator and best friend- Katherine Matthews Clarkson. They have an incredible son, Henry and their couch potato, Winston (Boston Terrier). His teachers include Alan Baer (New York Philharmonic), Dr. Joe Skillen (Louisiana State University), Mike Powell (American Brass Quintet), Seth Orgel (Atlantic Brass Quintet), and Warren Deck (New York Philharmonic).
Mr. Matthew Tuk
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Mathew Tuk currently serves as Instructor of Low Brass at Presbyterian College in
Clinton, SC and as a Graduate Assistant at the University of South Carolina where he is
pursuing a DMA in Tuba Performance. He received his formal training at Louisiana
State University where he was awarded his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and
later his Master’s Degree in Tuba Performance. At LSU, his primary teachers were Dr.
Joe Skillen and Dr. Charles Goodman. After receiving his undergraduate degree, he
served as Director of Bands at Central High School in Baton Rouge, LA where he ran a
comprehensive and successful high school band program. His bands consistently
received Superior ratings at marching and concert festivals.
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He has competed with success as a soloist and chamber musician in a number of
International Tuba and Euphonium Association competitions. He is also a member of the
Backburner Tuba and Euphonium Collective, the nation’s premiere large
tuba-euphonium ensemble consisting of professional musicians from across the U.S.
including 20 collegiate professors. Their debut album is to be released in 2023. Mathew
is an active freelance musician in the area and maintains an active private studio with
student ages ranging from the primary level through the collegiate level.