Robert has worked in Music and Music Education for his entire career, holding posts as County Music Adviser for Hertfordshire and Associate Headteacher of Dame Alice Owen’s School.

Robert studied conducting with George Hurst and Sir Arthur Davison and was a finalist in the Hans Swarowsky conducting competition. He is founder and Musical Director of the English Schools’ Orchestra which is now in its 27th year. Robert has conducted professional, amateur and youth orchestras and choirs and has performed in major concert halls including the Royal Albert Hall, The Royal Festival Hall, the Barbican and Symphony Hall Birmingham. He has toured extensively in Europe and completed a sell out tour in Australia with the ESO and the Australian Youth Choir.

He has performed with a number of distinguished soloists including Nicola Benedetti, John Lill, Julian Lloyd Webber, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Guy Johnston and Alison Balsam. Robert is also Musical Director of the English Young Artists’ Sinfonia, a professional orchestra which performs regularly in London as well as leading innovative education projects in schools. He holds Consultancy posts for the Music in Secondary Schools’ Trust Andrew Lloyd Webber programme and the Orchestras for All Charity. Until 2021 he was conductor of Enfield Youth Symphony Orchestra. Robert is a Freeman of the City of London, an Honorary Fellow at Goldsmiths, London University and was awarded an MBE in 2006 and OBE in 2019 for services to Music.

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