An Educator Stands Out

reported on sfcv.org, February 19, 2011 - http://www.sfcv.org/article/kids-around-the-bay-2

Tom Tatton

The California Music Educator Association Bay Chapter honored Thomas Tatton with the Outstanding Music Educator Award in January, 2011. This life-time achievement award recognizes Tatton’s 40 years of service as an educator — in the Lincoln Unified School District, at University of the Pacific in Stockton, and at Whittier College. Still active as an adjudicator, lecturer, and writer, Mr. Tatton has conducted clinics and youth orchestras in North America, Canada, South Africa, and several European countries. He’s also an active violist, and recently recorded the six Bach cello suites on viola.
Tatton performed on “Viola Mania” at the Freight and Salvage in September of 2010, where he was recognized before hundreds of viola-toting peers with a surprise award. He was vice president of the International Viola Society and president of the American Viola Society, and still serves on their board. Says Tatton, “What I’ve done is to share my love of music with kids. It’s been a wonderful journey of enriching lives and raising the level of culture in our society, one child at a time. If you’re in the profession, you give and share—that’s just what you do. It’s a great profession!”