Tufts Symphony Orchestra
Program
Simfonični orkester Tufts
John Page, dirigent
Sarita Uranovsky, violina
Anna Griffis, viola
Tufts Symphony Orchestra
The Tufts Symphony Orchestra is one of the oldest college orchestras in the USA and regularly performs large orchestral repertoire in the Granoff Music Center at Tufts University. In recent years the orchestra has performed Mahler’s 1st Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony and Dvorak’s symphonies 7,8 and 9. As a touring ensemble the group has recently visited Austria, Costa Rica and New York City. The group has been under the direction of Director of Orchestra Activities, John Page, since 2011 and has grown significantly in that time including the addition of Tufts Chamber Orchestra comprising the most advanced students at Tufts University.
John Page, Director
Award winning conductor John Page began his career with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland in 2000. In Ireland, his 2002 performances of Viktor Ullmann’s The Emperor of Atlantis with Opera Theatre Company garnered the prestigious Irish Times Opera of the Year award. He was subsequently invited to give a Lyric FM broadcast concert with the NSOI. Since then he has returned to Ireland frequently to record with the Irish Film Orchestra and his many recordings with PBS show Celtic Woman have earned multiple platinum discs. In 2003 Mr Page moved to the US and was appointed Zander Fellow to the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and from 2005 to 2009 he was the orchestra’s Assistant Conductor. In 2006 John Page joined the Faculty of New England Conservatory as Resident Conductor and Music Director of the NEC Sinfonietta and later, NEC Symphony and in spring 2011 was a Visiting Associate Professor at Boston University assuming the duties of Director of Orchestral Activities. He is currently Music Director of the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra; Artistic Director of the PARMA Orchestra and Director of Orchestral Activities at Tufts University with responsibility for the Tufts Symphony, Tufts Chamber Orchestra and Tufts Youth Philharmonic. From 2011 to 2014 Mr. Page conducted the extremely successful Celtic Woman Symphony tours of the US. He has conducted many major orchestras including the Atlanta Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Virginia Symphony and West Virginia Symphony, the Ulster Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.
Sarita Uranovsky, Violinist
A native of Cape Town, South Africa, violinist Sarita Uranovsky has enjoyed an exceptionally active and diverse career as soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, orchestral musician and teacher across the globe. A founding member and violinist of MONTAGE Music Society, she can be heard on Montage Music Society’s “Starry Night Project” released on MSR Classics and has recorded and broadcast for both the BBC and SABC as well as appearing on numerous recordings for BMOP (Boston Modern Orchestra Project). Uranovsky performs regularly in groups around Boston and in the United Kingdom. She is the recipient of numerous awards, is on the music faculty at Tufts University, the MIT Emerson Scholarship Program and maintains a private teaching studio. Uranovsky holds an Artist Diploma from Boston University and a Bachelors (with Honors) and Masters (with Distinction) from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Anna Griffis, Violist
Equally at home on modern and period instruments, Boston-based violist/violinist Anna Griffis has given recitals in Mexico, Turkey, Austria, Taiwan, and throughout North America. She is a member of the New Bedford Symphony (principal) and the Albany Symphony and performs with the Rhode Island Philharmonic, Portland Symphony, Emmanuel Music, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, A Far Cry, Monadnock Music, and Boston Lyric Opera. She co-founded Chicago-based Trio Speranza, prize winners at the Early Music America baroque competition, and performs with Boston Baroque, Boston Early Music Festival, Blue Heron, Boston Camerata, and Les Bostonades. Anna performs with and is executive director of the Boston-based new music group Ludovico Ensemble, and has worked closely with composers John McDonald, Marti Epstein, Mischa Salkind-Pearl, and many others. She can be heard on recordings by BMOPsound, Naxos, and Albany records, including two GRAMMY winning albums with the Albany Symphony. She has shared the stage with pop artists DJ Premiere, Amiee Mann, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and actor Hugh Jackman. Anna studied at Lawrence University, The Hartt School of Music, Tanglewood Music Center, and Boston University. She is on faculty the New School of Music, and Tufts University, and is an affiliate artist at MIT.