Peter Cokkinias – Clarinet
Dr Peter L. Cokkinias
Retired Conductor, Educator, College Professor, Instrumentalist
In September 1979 Peter Cokkinias conducted his first downbeat with the group now known as the Metrowest Symphony Orchestra. Cokkinias is equally at home conducting symphony, opera, ballet, and theater orchestras. He held that position for 41 years with the MSO.
Peter Cokkinias was also music director/conductor of the Franklin Performing Arts Center’s annual production of The Nutcracker and occasional musicals. Peter produced seven fully-staged operas as conductor and founder of the Tufts Opera Theater at Tufts University. He founded the Berklee College of Music’s Contemporary Symphony Orchestra and helped to create the musical theater program at Berklee, whose full musical productions include— Cabaret, Ragtime, Aida, Hair, Parade, The Kiss by Peter Eldridge for an April 2017 “world premiere”.
A busy freelance clarinetist and woodwind specialist and clinician, Dr. Cokkinias has performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops, the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, Boston Ballet Orchestra, Boston Lyric Opera, and in shows at all the major theaters in greater Boston and in Providence. He was a professor at Tufts University, Boston Conservatory, and Berklee College teaching classes in conducting, clarinet performance and music education. As a founding member of the Boston Saxophone Quartet, he administers their Noteworthy Scholars program, featuring First Night Boston performances of new works by gifted high-school-aged composers.
Peter has been with the North Shore Concert Band for over 15 years. He Loves all styles of music and his favorite piece to play is Star Dust by Hoagy Carmichael
Degrees:
Hartt College (University of Hartford) BM & BMED
Manhattan School of Music MM
College Conservatory of Music (University of Cincinnati) DMA