Department chair Robert Cowles is an associate professor of music at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where, since 1992, he has directed the choral ensembles and taught music theory and conducting in the Department of Music. He is also Artistic Director of the Syracuse Vocal Ensemble, a semi-professional chamber choir in the area. Cowles is recognized widely by musicians and audiences alike as an outstanding conductor. The Syracuse Herald American has described Cowles as a musician possessing "technical and rhythmic skills beyond reproach," and he is frequently recognized for his innovative and imaginative approach to programming.

Along with regular performances of works from the various historical periods, Cowles is an acclaimed champion of new music, having conducted the world premiere performance of numerous works, many of them upon commission during his time at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He has conducted premieres by Cary John Franklin, Patrick Littlefield, HWS music professor Nicholas V. D'Angelo, W. Newell Hendricks, Paul Fetler, Lee R. Kesselman, Jacob Avshalomov, Carol Barnett, Jan Bach, Michael Ives, and Craig Weston.

During 2001-02 Cowles was a U.S. Fulbright Scholar in Estonia, for which he taught choral music and conducting at the Estonian Academy of Music. Also during his year in Estonia Cowles guest conducted the Eesti koorijuhtide naiskoor, a leading Estonian women's chorus, and gave conducting master classes at the Sibelius Academy of Music in nearby Helsinki, Finland.

Prior to his time in Central New York, Cowles held choral faculty positions at Moorhead State University in Moorhead, Minnesota, and at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Cowles received his B.A. from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, his M.M. from New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, and his D.Mus. from Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana. His conducting teachers have included Dale Warland, Lorna Cooke DeVaron, and Robert Porco.

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