| Robert Lombardo | |
| Birth Name: | Robert Michael Lombardo |
| Birth Date: | 5 March 1932 |
| Era: | Contemporary |
Robert Michael Lombardo (born 5 March 1932) is an American composer and composition teacher.[1] [2] [3]
Born in Hartford, Connecticut, to Sicilian immigrants, Lombardo received his musical training at the Hartt College of Music, the University of Hartford (BMus., composition cum laude, 1954, MMus., composition, 1955),[4] Hochschule für Musik, Berlin (1958–1959)[4] and the University of Iowa (Ph.D., composition, 1959–1961).[4] His principal composition teacher was Arnold Franchetti.[5] He also studied with Philip Bezanson and Boris Blacher.[6]
Lombardo began teaching music theory at the University of Iowa in 1959,[4] then moved to Hartt College in 1963.[4] In 1964, Lombardo became Professor of theory and composition and Composer-in-Residence at The Music Conservatory of Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University in Chicago,[4] a position he would hold for 35 years until 1999.[4]
Lombardo's compositions include over 200 works for opera, orchestra, chamber music, instrumental solos, choral music, musicals, and electronic music.[7] [8] He has collaborated with his wife, Kathleen, poet and playwright, on several compositions. Lombardo is also one of the few composers writing for the mandolin. Dimitris Marinos[9] performed his Concerto for Mandolin and String Quartet in a world premiere in Chicago in 1995.[10] In addition, Marinos has recorded six of Lombardo's compositions.[5]
Lombardo's works have been performed all over the world. In 1992, contemporary music group CUBE performed his work, in Chicago.[11] Roosevelt University hosted a performance of several of his works on his 80th birthday.[12] [13] And for these, Lombardo has been the recipient of multiple awards. In 1964, he received a Guggenheim Fellowship in Music Composition,[14] and two grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and three Ford Foundation Grants in 1962, 1963 and 1964 among others.[15]
Lombardo's works are not limited to simply compositions; he is also respected for his commissions, which include an important work commissioned by the Serge Koussevitzky Foundation[16] and housed in the Library of Congress.[17] Lombardo's papers, including musical scores and correspondence, are housed at the Northwestern University Library.[18]