Jon Robertson, conductor
Maestro Jon Robertson is now in his twenty-sixth season as music director and conductor or the Redlands Symphony Orchestra. The extraordinary quality of this orchestra is attributed to the blend of devotion he has for the musicians and his artistic vision. Dr. Robertson is currently Dean of Lynn Conservatory of Music in Boca Raton, Florida, where he resides. He also served as Chair of the Music Department and Professor of Conducting/Director of Orchestras at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Dr. Robertson’s career as a concert pianist began at age nine with his debut in Town Hall, New York. He continued to give concerts throughout Europe and South America. His degrees are from the Julliard School of Music (B.M, B.S., and D.M.A.) in piano performance and he also studied choral conducting with Abraham Kaplan at Julliard and orchestra conducting with Richard Pittman of the New England Conservatory. He later traveled to Sweden and East Germany to study under Maestro Herbert Blomstedt, former conductor and music director of the Sun Francisco Symphony.
In 1972, Dr. Robertson became conductor and music director of the Thayer Conservatory of Music Orchestra. He served as conductor and music director of the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra in Norway, from 1979 to 1987. Dr. Robertson made his debut with the San Francisco Symphony at Stern Grove as guest conductor. He received critical acclaim, and was invited for return engagements during the Symphony’s subscription series at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco. Dr. Robertson has conducted the Beijing Central Philharmonic in China, the Gavele Symphony in Sweden, the American Philharmonic Orchestra.
Dr. Robertson has served as a panelist on the NEA orchestral review panel and on the grants and touring panel of the California Arts Council. He has also served on the board of director of the Association of California Symphony Orchestras. He has an interest in theology and is sought after as a consultant, lecturer, and motivational speaker.