Dave Tarantino

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Percussionist Dave Tarantino currently resides in Philadelphia after recently completing his Doctorate of Musical Arts at Boston University. A native of the Philadelphia area (Moorestown, NJ), he is excited to return and become a part of its vibrant music and arts community! In Boston, before he relocated, he was a teaching assistant for the music education department at Boston University where he taught non-major lessons and methods class. He was also on faculty and Percussion Department Coordinator for the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, as well as maintaining a private studio with many of his students going on to place in district and all state honors ensembles.

Now in Philly, Dave is immersing himself in the music and arts community as an educator and freelance performer. He is currently a Teaching Artist for Play On Philly (an El Sistema inspired music education program) at their Saint Francis De Sales location in West Philly. As a freelance performer he has joined many of the areas premier orchestras including the Reading Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra 2001.

Dave also taught as a faculty member at the New England Music Camp from 2016–2018, and enjoyed spending his summers teaching on the shore of Lake Messalonskee in Central Maine. There he taught World Music Class as well as Percussion Ensemble and Percussion Techniques in addition to private lessons.

As an active freelancer, Dave performed regularly in several groups throughout the New England area including the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Portland Symphony, New Bedford Symphony, and Lexington Symphony. He was a member of the Phoenix Orchestra in Boston, which is a young chamber orchestra dedicated to widening the reach of classical music. Outside of the New England area, Dave has performed with some of the countries finest ensembles, including the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony, and Jacksonville Symphony.

Most notably, during the 2016-2017 season, Dave performed as a member of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra percussion section in Tel Aviv, Israel. During this time, he worked with some of the world’s most renowned soloists and conductors, including frequently with the orchestra’s then music director Zubin Mehta. While a member of this orchestra, he went on many international tours to 4 different continents playing in some of the world’s finest concert halls.

Dave completed his Doctorate of Musical Arts and Masters in Music at Boston University, and Bachelor of Music at New England Conservatory where he studied with every member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra percussion and timpani sections.