Gordon Rencher

Gordon Rencher is one of the Northwest’s most versatile percussionists. A skilled drum set player and orchestral percussionist, he also performs professionally on latin percussion and steel drum. He is the principal percussionist for the Portland Opera and Oregon Ballet Theater, and has been principal for several area summer music festivals, including the Oregon Bach Festival. He performs frequently with The Oregon Symphony, and is Portland’s “first call” show player for touring Broadway musicals. He has performed with Chick Corea, Jason Alexander, Natalie Cole, Johnny Mathis, Bernadette Peters, Roberta Flack, Olivia Newton-John, Peter Cetera, The Indigo Girls, Bela Fleck, The Pointer Sisters, Jerry Lewis, Dave Brubeck, Randy Newman, along with many others. In addition to recordings of the Oregon Symphony (3 Grammy nominations), Gordon can be heard on recordings for The Portland Opera, the Third Angle New Music Ensemble, Oregon Catholic Press, and folk-rock-blues artist, Martha Schuyler Thompson.

Mr. Rencher teaches drum set and percussion in his own studio, and has taught for Western Oregon University, Linfield College, Portland State University, Warner Pacific College, Marylhurst University, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and many area high schools. Mr. Rencher has published a method book for beginning snare drum, a method book for beginning jazz drum set, and several pieces for concert percussion, marching percussion, and steel drum band through Alfred Music, Matrix Music, and Drop6 publications. Originally from Boise, Idaho, and a graduate of the University of North Texas and veteran of NT’s renowned Lab bands, he worked on cruise ships as a drummer and band leader before moving to the Portland area in 1989.