Tara Villa Keith

Tara Villa Keith is the Chair and Professor of Music at Davidson College, where she also directs the Davidson College Symphony Orchestra (DCSO). In her twenty-third season at Davidson, she leads the department and the orchestra, and she also conducts the Sound of the Carolinas Orchestra and Ensembles (SCORE) for the North Mecklenburg and South Iredell regions.

Her educational background:

• D.M.A., University of South Carolina
• M.M., Pennsylvania State University
• B.A., Franklin and Marshall College

Professor Keith specializes in orchestral conducting, music history, and opera. Her research and teaching interests encompass women in music, Scandinavian music, social dance and the orchestra, and the history of the orchestra. She has developed courses on these topics and actively integrates historical context into performance.

Her scientific awards include:

• Honored Artist of The American Prize (2019)
• The American Prize 2018 for orchestral performance (collegiate division)
• Metrolina Theatre Association’s Award for Outstanding Musical Direction/Conducting (2011)
• First Varna International Conducting Competition (2007)
• League of American Orchestras Women Conductors Grant (2008)

As an educator, Professor Keith teaches a range of courses from introductory music to advanced seminars. She mentors students in the Davidson College Symphony Orchestra and has served as a guest conductor for middle and high school orchestras, as well as internationally in Brazil, Germany, and Bulgaria. Her current projects include leading the DCSO and the community-based SCORE orchestra.