Mary-Sue Tobin received a Masters of Music in Saxophone Performance and a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from Portland State University where she served as the graduate teaching assistant for the jazz studies department. She has played and studied with many of the Portland jazz luminaries (including: Glen Moore, Darrell Grant, Thara Memory, Alan Jones, Rob Scheps and many others) in addition to leading her own groups.
MST is a busy professional musician and performs regularly with: Andrew Oliver Sextet, Portland Jazz Orchestra, Soul Vaccination, Art Abrams Swing Machine, Paxselin Quartet, Lily Wilde Orchestra, Portland Jazz Composers’ Ensemble, Quadraphonnes, PDX Saxophone Quartet, Chamber of Commerce and Sound for the Organization of Society. She also appears on recent recordings with many of these groups. She performs regularly with The Oregon Symphony Pops (Pointer Sisters, Johnny Mathis) and has performed at numerous Jazz Festivals (Portland Jazz Festival, The Mount Hood Jazz Festival, Cathedral Park Jazz Festival, The Vancouver Wine and Cheese Jazz Festival, The Banff International Jazz Festival) and has shared the stage with international jazz and R&B stars such as Dave Douglas, The Temptations, James Moody and Esperanza Spalding. She appears in the movie “Hear No Evil” with the group Dub Squad and has toured internationally with the groups Flatland and Dub Squad, opening up for legends like Herbie Hancock, Steel Pulse and Third World. She has recorded and performed with numerous Regional and International artists.
MST maintains a full studio of students through Beacock’s Music Education Center where she also directs band and teaches jazz improvisation seminars. She also serves as an adjudicator for NW solo/ensemble festivals and a clinician for school seminars. She has performed classical concerts with her saxophone quartets multiple times at the North American Saxophone Alliance Conference and also performs with the Portland Center Stage Orchestra for their musical productions.