ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR
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American conductor Tamara Dworetz is recognized for performances of emotional immediacy, clarity, and collaborative energy. Equally at home on the symphonic stage, in the ballet pit, and in educational settings, she is committed to creating meaningful musical experiences for both musicians and audiences. Based in Atlanta, she is building a dynamic national and international career as a guest conductor.
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Tamara serves as Conductor and Artistic Director of the Georgia Philharmonic and recently concluded a three-year tenure as Director of Orchestras and Charles Thomas Wurm Distinguished Professor of Instrumental Music at Georgia State University.
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Recent engagements include the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Sarasota Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, The Dallas Opera, Paris Mozart Orchestra, and Wintergreen Music Festival. A regular guest conductor with the Atlanta Ballet, she has led The Rite of Spring and The Nutcracker and returns to conduct Swan Lake in 2027.
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Tamara gained international recognition as one of five conductors featured in the documentary Maestra, following competitors in the 2022 La Maestra International Competition in Paris. Her honors include Second Prize in the Boston Pops Orchestra Leonard Bernstein Conducting Competition, two Bruno Walter Conducting Fellowships at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, and selection for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's Leonard Slatkin Masterclass.
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A passionate advocate for music education, Tamara has served as Associate Conductor of Carnegie Hall's National Youth Orchestra programs and continues to mentor young musicians while collaborating with arts organizations throughout metro Atlanta.
American conductor Tamara Dworetz is recognized for performances of emotional immediacy, clarity, and collaborative energy. Equally at home on the symphonic stage, in the ballet pit, and in educational settings, she is committed to creating meaningful musical experiences for both musicians and audiences. Based in Atlanta, she is building a dynamic national and international career as a guest conductor.
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Tamara serves as Conductor and Artistic Director of the Georgia Philharmonic and recently concluded a three-year tenure as Director of Orchestras and Charles Thomas Wurm Distinguished Professor of Instrumental Music at Georgia State University.
​
Recent engagements include the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Sarasota Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, The Dallas Opera, Paris Mozart Orchestra, and Wintergreen Music Festival. A regular guest conductor with the Atlanta Ballet, she has led The Rite of Spring and The Nutcracker and returns to conduct Swan Lake in 2027.
​
Tamara gained international recognition as one of five conductors featured in the documentary Maestra, following competitors in the 2022 La Maestra International Competition in Paris. Her honors include Second Prize in the Boston Pops Orchestra Leonard Bernstein Conducting Competition, two Bruno Walter Conducting Fellowships at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, and selection for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's Leonard Slatkin Masterclass.
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A passionate advocate for music education, Tamara has served as Associate Conductor of Carnegie Hall's National Youth Orchestra programs and continues to mentor young musicians while collaborating with arts organizations throughout metro Atlanta.
CONCERTMASTER
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Martha Gardner is an accomplished orchestral and solo musician and teacher. She began violin under the tutelage of her mother, Valerie Gardner, who is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music (under the instruction of Jascha Brodsky) and Carnegie Mellon University. She also studied with Levon Ambartsumian (Moscow Tchaikovksy Conservatory) and Shakhida Azimkhodjaeva while she received her masters degree in violin performance.
Martha currently divides her time between teaching and orchestral work, while soloing in her spare time. Recent solo performances include a small concert series in GA and NC, the MTNA solo competition (four time state winner), and appearances with Asheville Symphony Orchestra, North Georgia Chamber Orchestra, Georgia Philharmonic, University of Georgia Symphony Orchestra, and ARCO chamber orchestra.
Martha performs with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, North Georgia Chamber Orchestra, and Atlanta Ballet Orchestra. She currently holds the positions of concertmaster of Georgia Philharmonic, associate concertmaster of Asheville Symphony Orchestra, and assistant principal second of Greenville Symphony Orchestra.
Martha Gardner is an accomplished orchestral and solo musician and teacher. She began violin under the tutelage of her mother, Valerie Gardner, who is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music (under the instruction of Jascha Brodsky) and Carnegie Mellon University. She also studied with Levon Ambartsumian (Moscow Tchaikovksy Conservatory) and Shakhida Azimkhodjaeva while she received her masters degree in violin performance.
Martha currently divides her time between teaching and orchestral work, while soloing in her spare time. Recent solo performances include a small concert series in GA and NC, the MTNA solo competition (four time state winner), and appearances with Asheville Symphony Orchestra, North Georgia Chamber Orchestra, Georgia Philharmonic, University of Georgia Symphony Orchestra, and ARCO chamber orchestra.
Martha performs with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, North Georgia Chamber Orchestra, and Atlanta Ballet Orchestra. She currently holds the positions of concertmaster of Georgia Philharmonic, associate concertmaster of Asheville Symphony Orchestra, and assistant principal second of Greenville Symphony Orchestra.