Dave Tarantino

Dave Tarantino is a substitute classical host at WRTI.

The station has played a huge role in Dave’s journey as a music lover. While growing up in Southern New Jersey, he relied on WRTI’s classical and jazz programming as a source of information, education, and inspiration. At age 14, Dave decided that he wanted to be a classical musician and became an avid listener of the station, day and night, soaking up all the information he could.

While a graduate student at Boston University, Dave grew his love for radio even deeper as a host for their student-run radio station, and through internships he did with Boston’s local NPR News station, WBUR. Joining the team at WRTI is the perfect combination of his deepest passions.

Dave is a percussionist, and often views classical music through the lens of his experience as a performer and educator. He plays frequently with many of the Philadelphia area’s finest orchestras, and teaches for instrumental music programs at several middle and high schools in the city.

One of the biggest highlights in Dave’s career was being a member of the percussion section of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra from 2016–2017. During this time he worked closely with then music director Zubin Mehta, and toured with them on four continents. Be sure to check out his YouTube channel to learn more about percussion instruments!