Principal Timpanist

Birthplace: New York City

Grew up: Bedford, MA

Started playing: I got a toy drum for my first Christmas and I’ve been playing ever since

Education: BM, with Distinction in Performance, New England Conservatory of Music; Graduate Studies, Tourjee Alumni Award Winner, New England Conservatory; Two-time Tanglewood Music Center Fellow, Schleswig- Holstein Music Festival, Germany

Began with PSO: 1999

Non-PSO Activities: Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops Orchestra, Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Ballet, New Hampshire Symphony. My work with the Boston Symphony has included the participation on three international tours to Europe and one within the United States

Favorite music: Orchestral Classical & Opera; My most favorite composer is Maurice Ravel

In my iPod: With 80gb I have almost every orchestral, operatic, and chamber work you can think of!

Hobbies: Commercial Aviation, Studying the lives and works of the great composers, Collecting classical music recordings, die-hard New York Yankees fan! I am an Artist and Educational Endorser for Vic Firth Drumsticks, manufactured in Maine

Email: johntanzer@verizon.net

Teacher: Yes- Advanced level inquiries only