The School of Music is proud to announce the appointment of the new Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Orchestral Activities, Dr. Tamara Dworetz.
Tamara comes to Georgia State University with an impressive background working with professional, collegiate and youth orchestras. Professionally, she has conducted the Paris Mozart Orchestra, Boston Pops, Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, Amarillo Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and Mankato Symphony. In the 2023-24 season, she will make her debut with the Arkansas Symphony featuring acclaimed pianist, Conrad Tao. Dworetz has also worked with world-class orchestras and conductors in Europe as Assistant Conductor - Orchestre de Paris with Klaus Mäkelä, Gürzenich Orchestre Cologne with François-Xavier Roth and the BBC Concert Orchestra with her late mentor, Bramwell Tovey. As an opera conductor, she has led the Dallas Opera Orchestra and served as Assistant Conductor for Indianapolis, Atlanta and Butler Center Operas. Dr. Dworetz was recently selected as 1 of 14 candidates from a worldwide pool in the 2022 La Maestra Conducting Competition and Academy for Women Conductors in Paris, France. She was the only US-born conductor selected for the competition and earned a spot as one of 6 semi-finalists. Dr. Dworetz won 2nd prize in the Boston Pops' Leonard Bernstein Conducting Competition. She has been a recipient of the Bruno Walter Conducting Fellowship at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, studying with Cristian Măcelaru, conductor of the WDR Symphony Orchestre in Cologne & the National Orchestre of France.
Dr. Dworetz’s musical beginnings took place in the Atlanta public school system. After graduating from North Springs High School in Fulton County, Dr. Dworetz was Assistant Band Director at Alpharetta High School before serving as Director of Orchestras at Lakeside High School in Atlanta where she increased enrollment by 50% over 3 years. In addition to her public school teaching, she has guest-conducted the TMEA (Texas) All-State Philharmonic Orchestra, All-Northwest Honors Orchestra (students from 6 states), and will lead the 2024 Colorado All-State Symphony Orchestra. She has also served as Interim Conductor of the Austin Youth Orchestra and worked with the Emory and Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra. This summer she looks forward to working with the National Youth Orchestras (NYO-USA & NYO2) which will perform at Carnegie Hall and in the Dominican Republic.
Prior to her appointment at Georgia State, Dr. Dworetz served as the Music Director of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY) Orchestra and Concert Choir. She has led guest conducting residencies at Boston University, SUNY Fredonia School of Music & Longy Conservatory at Bard College.
In her new role, Dr. Dworetz will be responsible for leading the University's Orchestra program and the master’s program in orchestral conducting. She will work closely with students to ensure that they receive the best possible education in orchestral music and will also collaborate with other departments at the university to promote music education and appreciation.
"Since growing up in Atlanta, Georgia State has been on my radar as one of the most diverse and accessible universities in the state," said Dr. Dworetz. "I want to work with students whose backgrounds reflect the beautiful diversity of Atlanta. I'm humbled and thrilled to team up with such an esteemed and forward-thinking faculty and administration to support the shared vision of the music school in becoming the number one music education program in the state. I am excited to be a part of a music school that takes meaningful action toward progress and cares deeply about its students and their education." Dworetz goes on to say, "Combined with my own training, we have the resources to bring in guest artists and composers who will provide students a truly well-rounded musical education; furthermore, it's a deep passion of mine to initiate commissions and consortiums for K-12 orchestral repertoire, not only to promote a greater variety of artistic voices but also the inclusion of non-western classical elements and improvisation. I hope this music also supports the goals of public and private school orchestra teachers and students in the state, and I would love to see Georgia State collaborate with local schools to make the city of Atlanta a national leader for expanding the K-12 orchestral repertoire."
The appointment of Dr. Dworetz is an exciting addition to the Georgia State University School of Music, which has a long tradition of excellence in music education. With her extensive experience and expertise, Dr. Dworetz is sure to take the University's orchestra program to new heights and inspire the next generation of musicians.
Dr. Dworetz holds degrees from Indiana University, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Georgia and Boston University.
