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Robert J. AmbroseAmerican conductor
Country:
 USA |
Content:
- American Conductor with a Diverse Career
- Bent Frequency and More
- Guest Conducting and Premieres
- Guitarist and Rock Star
- Bent Frequency
- Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Wind Ensemble and Atlanta Chamber Winds
- Georgia State University
- Education
American Conductor with a Diverse Career
Robert Ambrose is an American conductor with an exceptionally diverse and successful career. His musical interests span numerous genres, which is evident in the broad range of professional endeavors he leads.
Bent Frequency and More
Ambrose is the founder and Artistic Director of the contemporary music ensemble Bent Frequency, the professional chamber wind band Atlanta Chamber Winds, and the youth wind ensemble Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Wind Ensemble. He also serves on the faculty of Georgia State University. His interpretations of contemporary classical music have drawn high praise from leading composers including Leslie Bassett, Michael Colgrass, John Harbison, and Tristan Murail.
Guest Conducting and Premieres
As a guest conductor, Ambrose has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, and Greece. Ensembles under his direction have appeared at Carnegie Hall, Spivey Hall, Denver's Boettcher Hall, and the Boston Hatch Shell. He has led over two dozen premiere performances, featuring works by Michael Colgrass, Christopher Theofanidis, Joseph Turrin, Fred Frith, and Charles Knox. His recent performance of Igor Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms was featured on Georgia Public Radio.
Guitarist and Rock Star
Ambrose is also an accomplished guitarist who has performed with dozens of jazz, pop, rock, and orchestra bands. His rock band Hoochie Suit, which he formed with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, has performed to great acclaim in the Chicago area, for audiences including cellist Yo-Yo Ma, clarinetist Larry Combs, and Israeli conductor Daniel Barenboim.
Bent Frequency
A strong advocate for contemporary and avant-garde music, Ambrose is a co-founder, Artistic Director, and conductor of Bent Frequency, a contemporary music ensemble composed of members of the Atlanta Symphony and Opera Orchestra, as well as Atlanta's independent music community. Gramophone Magazine has called the ensemble "one of the brightest and most indispensable outfits on the city's music scene." Since its founding in 2003, Bent Frequency has garnered critical acclaim for its musical virtuosity and innovative programming.
Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Wind Ensemble and Atlanta Chamber Winds
Ambrose also founded and is Music Director of the Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Wind Ensemble (MAYWE), an ensemble of over 100 of the most talented high school musicians in the greater Atlanta area. MAYWE has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall and the Atlanta Jazz Festival. He is also the founder and Music Director of the professional chamber group Atlanta Chamber Winds, a ten-member wind ensemble. The ensemble released its debut recording, Music from Paris, on Albany Records in 2009 to positive reviews.
Georgia State University
Robert Ambrose currently holds leadership positions in music education at Georgia State University, conducting the university's wind bands, the Symphonic Wind Ensemble and University Chamber Winds. Under his direction, the Symphonic Wind Ensemble released its debut CD, American Manuscripts, in 2009.
Education
Ambrose earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Boston College, a Master of Music Education degree from Boston University, and a Doctor of Music in Conducting degree from Northwestern University. He studied with Mallory Thompson, Frank Battisti, and Eric Rombach-Kendall. He also studied at the Tanglewood Music Center under Seiji Ozawa, Robert Spano, and Andre Previn.
