About

Grove City Director of Orchestras – Thomas Traini

Thomas Traini is in his 20th year of teaching and 17th year as Director of Orchestras at Grove City High School. A graduate of The Ohio State University (BME 1997, MA 2015), Mr. Traini conducts the GCHS Symphony Orchestra and Concert Orchestra as well as teaching Music Theory. In addition to his duties at the high school, he also directs the Jackson Middle School Orchestra.

Under Mr. Traini’s direction, the Grove City Symphony Orchestra has earned nine consecutive OMEA State superior ratings in the highest classification of full orchestra, which is the second longest streak in the state. The Jackson Orchestra has also successfully earned OMEA’s top rating six of the past seven years, three of which were in the highest classification of string orchestra.

Prior to coming to Grove City, Mr. Traini directed the Bloom-Carroll High School Band for four years. During his tenure there, the BCHS Symphonic Band earned State superior ratings for the first time in over 20 years, and the Marching Band earned State superior ratings for the first time in that school’s history.

His wife, Crystal, holds music degrees from Capital University (BME 1995) and Boston University (MME 2012). She was a band director at Waverly High School, a private instructor of saxophone and piano for the past 20 years, and currently homeschools their two children, Alexandra and Colyn. Mrs. Traini also assists with GCHS Symphony Orchestra rehearsals.

You can contact Mr. Traini at 614-801-3343 or

Grove City Orchestra Conductor History

Tom Traini 2001-present
Mark Stevens 1998-2001
Brian McLaughlin 1993-1998
Mark Sholl 1987-1993

State Contest Repertoire and Results

2016-2017, Class A I
Symphony No. 1, Op. 21, mvt. I, Ludwig van Beethoven (orig.)
Romeo and Juliet Overture, Tchaikovsky/Brubaker
American Salute, Morton Gould (orig.)

2015-2016, Class A I
Military March No. 1, Schubert/Stroud
Variations on a Shaker Melody, Aaron Copland (orig.)
Finlandia, Op. 26, Jean Sibelius (orig.)

2014-2015, Class A I
Russian Sailors’ Dance, Gliere/Isaac
Slavonic Dance, Op. 46, No 8, Antonin Dvorak (orig.)
Symphony No. 8 “Unfinished”, mvt. I, Franz Schubert (orig.)

2013-2014, Class A I
Barber of Seville, Rossini/Isaac
Hoedown, Aaron Copland (orig.)
Le Roi S’Amuse, mvt. I, II, IV, Leo Delibes (orig.)

2012-2013, Class A I
Ghosts of Antietam, Joseph Jay McIntyre
Pavane pour une infante défunte, Maurice Ravel (orig.)
Overture to Nabucco, Giuseppe Verdi (orig.)

2011-2012, Class A I
La Damnation de Faust, Op. 24 Rákóczy March (Hungarian March), Hector Berlioz (orig.)
The Moldau, Bedrich Smetana / Richard Meyer
Finlandia, Op. 26, Jean Sibelius (orig.)

2010-2011, Class A I
Variations on a Shaker Melody, Aaron Copland (orig.)
Fugue No. 23, Bach/Errante
Russian Sailors’ Dance Gliere/Isaac

2009-2010, Class A I
Barber of Seville, Rossini/Isaac
Military March No. 1, Schubert/Stroud
Yorkshire Ballad, Barnes

2008-2009, Class A I
Procession of the Nobles, Rimsky-Korsakov/Isaac
Symphony in d minor, Franck
March to the Scaffold, Berlioz/Carter

2007-2008, Class B Snowed Out
William Tell Overture, Rossini/Lehmeier
Corelli Contrasts, Corelli/Bauernschmidt
Declaration Overture, Claude T. Smith

2006-2007, Class B I
The Moldau, Smetana/Meyer
Romeo and Juliet: Three Episodes, Missal
Russian Sailors’ Dance, Gliere/Isaac

2005-2006, Class B II
Yorkshire Ballad, Barnes
Capriccio Italien, Tchaikovsky/Isaac
Fugue in g minor, Bach/Isaac

2004-2005, Class B I
Triumphant March, Tchaikovsky/Higgins
Symphony No. 1 3rd Mvt., Mahler/Meyer
March to the Scaffold, Berlioz/Carter

2003-2004, Class B I
Suite from Tannhauser, Wagner/Isaac
Danse Infernale, Stravinsky/Isaac
Classical Overture, Mozart/Applebaum

2002-2003, Class B II
Corelli Contrasts, Corelli/Bauerschmidt
Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah, Saint-Saens, Isaac
Kabalevsky Suite, Kabalevsky, Hull