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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Professor Robert Cowles
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