WALTER PAVASARIS, conductor of the Arlington Philharmonic Orchestra since 1980, is a graduate of the Hartt College of Music, earned a Master of Music in String Instruments from the University of Michigan, and earned his Doctor of Education degree in 1993 from Boston University. He has performed as a double bassist throughout the New England and greater New York areas.
Currently, Dr. Pavasaris is the Coordinator of Fine and Performing Arts for the Lexington, MA Public Schools. His responsibilities include implementing the curriculum in the areas of music, visual arts, and drama for grades K-12, as well as supervising and evaluation the Fine and Performing Arts faculty.
Prior to the position in Lexington, Dr. Pavasaris had been Director of Orchestras for the Belmont (MA) Publisc Schools from 1977-1990. During that time, the Belmont High School Orchestra earned superior ratings in the New Hampshire Music Educators Large Ensemble Festival, Massachusetts Instrumental Conductors' Association (M.I.C.A.) State Festival, and International Music Festivals in New York and Toronto. The Orchestra was also selected to perform at the All Eastern MENC Conference in Boston in 1983. In 1985 the Orchestra was invited to tour France. The Chenery Middle School Orchestra, also under Dr. Pavasaris' direction, also performed at numerous All State conferences, receiving superior ratings in the M.I.C.A. state festivals.
Dr. Pavasaris continues to be active as an adjudicator, clinician and guest conductor throughout New England. He has held numerous offices on the district and state levels as well as within M.I.C.A. In 1992 he was guest conductor of the United States Youth Ensemble String Orchestra during their seven nation European tour. Also in 1992, Dr. Pavasaris was the recipient of the Paul Smith Memorial "Conductor of the Year" award presented by M.I.C.A. He has served on the S.Y.M.S. Music Camp faculty at the University of New Hampshire, and currently serves on the faculties of The Boston Conservatory of Music where he teaches String Methods and Boston University where he conducts the All University Orchestra.
