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| photo credit: Darsha Primich |
Robert was born in New York City and attended the High School for Music and Art. He graduated with honors from the University of Colorado and went on to earn his Masters and Doctorate degrees from the University of Illinois.
A former student of Salvatore Martirano, Ben Johnston, and Paul Zonn, Robert's work has earned him fellowships at Yaddo in New York, the Montalvo Center in California, and the Mishkenot Sha’ananim Cultural Center in Jerusalem.
Robert is also the author of Twenty Israeli Composers: Voices of a Culture, an account on the cultural context and inspiration behind the music of twenty art-music composers in Israel. He currently serves as Professor Emeritus at Northern Illinois University at DeKalb, Illinois, where he has taught music theory and composition since 1983.
His piece "Ma mère" for solo cello will be recorded by frequent PARMA collaborator and partner Ovidiu Marinescu to be included on the follow-up release to 2013's MOTO PERPETUO. As with the rest of the follow-up program, "Ma mère" will be part of Ovidiu's return performance to Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall in May 2015, as well as another performance at a venue to be determined.
Robert will be flying out to the east coast next week for the second annual PARMA Music Festival. You can hear his piece "Dans le piano" for electronics at the "Lord of the Strings: Chamber Music from Sweden to the U.S." concert, which will be held at 10 AM on Thursday, August 14 at South Church (292 State St., Portsmouth). The concert is free and open to the public and you're encouraged to come say hello and hear some fantastic performances.
Until then, you can listen to his electro-acoustic piece "Loretto Alfresco," which will also be featured in concert during the College Music Society's National Conference in St. Louis, MO on October 30.
