Istad, Robert
Professor of Music
Director of Choral Studies
School of Music
Biography:
Robert Istad is professor of music and director of choral studies at California State University, Fullerton, where he conducts the University Singers and Women’s Choir in addition to teaching courses in conducting, advanced interpretation and literature.
He received the university’s highest faculty honor — the Outstanding Professor Award — in 2016 and the following year, became artistic director of the Pacific Chorale. Istad and the CSUF University Singers have performed all over the world, including engagements throughout Paris in 2015; at the 2012 Ottobeuren Festival of Music and Eingen Festival of Music in Germany; a performance for UNESCO in Pisa, Italy; and at the world-famous Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary. He and his singers were featured at the 2013 National Collegiate Choral Organization National Conference, the 2013 ACDA National Conference and 2012 ACDA Western Division Conference. In his prior role as associate conductor for the Pacific Chorale, he prepared professional choruses for Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Carl St.Clair and the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Esa–Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Nicholas McGegan and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, and Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, as well as conductors Vasilly Sinaisky, Sir Andrew Davis, Bramwell Tovey, Thomas Wilkins, John Williams, Richard Kaufman, Eric Whitacre, William Lacey, Giancarlo Guerrero, Marin Alsop, George Fenton, Case Scaglione, Robert Moody, John Alexander, William Dehning and David Lockington. Istad received his bachelor of arts in music from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois; his master of music in choral conducting from Cal State Fullerton; and his doctor of musical arts degree in choral music at the University of Southern California. He studied conducting with William Dehning, John Alexander and Jon Hurty. Istad is the former artistic director of the Long Beach Camerata Singers an
Areas of Knowledge:
- Choral Music
- Nonprofit Management (Music Specific)
- Professional Classical Music
- Conducting Pedagogy
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