John E. Tanzer

Biography

John Tanzer is the Principal Timpanist of the Portland Symphony Orchestra and also performs frequently with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops Orchestra, Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra and the Boston Lyric Opera. 

Mr. Tanzer attended the New England Conservatory of Music and graduated with honors in performance. His teachers include Everett Firth, William Hudgins, and Everett Beale. At New England Conservatory, he was awarded the prestigious Tourjée Alumni Award. Mr. Tanzer was also selected as a member of the exchange program with the Toho Gakuen School in Tokyo. He was a two-time Tanglewood Music Center Fellow and also attended the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Germany.

Mr. Tanzer was appointed the Principal Timpanist of the Portland Symphony Orchestra in Maine in 1999. He is also a performance and educational endorser for the Vic Firth Drumstick company.

Mr. Tanzer has taught at Philips Exeter as the Percussion Instructor since 2013.  He enjoys teaching both private lessons and coaching percussion chamber music.