RedlandsSymphony

Brahms (1833 – 1897)

Orchestration

Guilmant (1837 - 1911)

Orchestration

Saint-Saens

Orchestration

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.

Frederick Swann, President of the American Guild of Organists (2002-2008), serves as Organist Emeritus of the Crystal Cathedral, Organist Emeritus of First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, and Organ Artist-in-residence at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Palm Desert, California.

Mr. Swann, a native of Virginia, holds degrees from Northwestern University School of Music and the School of Sacred Music at Union Theological Seminary, all granted "with distinction". In addition to his prominent church positions, Riverside Church, NYC (1957-1982), Crystal Cathedral (1982-1998) and First Congregational Church of Los Angeles (1998-2001). He was for ten years Chair of the Organ Department at the Manhattan School of Music and served on the faculties of the School of Sacred Music at Union Theological Seminary as well as Teacher's College of Columbia University, New York City.

In addition to more than 2,000 solo recital presentations in major churches, cathedrals and concert halls throughout North America and abroad, Mr. Swann performs frequently with symphony orchestras and choral organizations. In 2002 he was named Performer of the Year by the New York City chapter of the American Guild of Organists. In 2004 he was selected to perform the Inaugural Recital on the new organ in The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

Although semi-retired, Mr. Swann is sought after as a leader of organ and church music workshops and is retained frequently as a consultant for new pipe organs, including some of the largest and most prominent in the country.