ABOUT ROBERT WEINER
Robert Weiner has been the Oboe Professor at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music since 1998. He actively performs in the South Florida area - both in concert and in the recording studios - and is principal oboist with the Florida Grand Opera. In the past he has served as principal oboist with the Miami Symphony Orchestra, Mexico City Philharmonic, Miami City Ballet Orchestra, Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra, and others, and has been guest principal oboist with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the Florida Philharmonic. Robert Weiner was also director and oboist of the Oklahoma City Chamber Players and has performed with New York City area orchestras, including the American Symphony Orchestra, New York City Ballet and Long Island Philharmonic among others. As a soloist with orchestras he has performed concerti by Mozart, Strauss, Bach, Corigliano, Maderna, Handel, Telemann, Marcello, Cimarosa, Albinoni, and Vivaldi.
Weiner has recorded on major labels and is active in the recording studios of Miami. He previously taught oboe at Conjunto Cultural Ollin Yoliztli in Mexico, Oklahoma City University, University of Oklahoma, and Cornell University. Acknowledged for his work on gouging machines and reed-making, he has been in demand by professionals for advice and work in those areas. He has a B.M. degree from Eastman School of Music, and a M.M. degree from State University of New York at Stony Brook. He studied oboe with Robert Sprenkle, Ronald Roseman, Harold Gomberg, John Mack, and Joseph Robinson.
Excerpts from an interview at the Frost School:
What would you say are the outstanding highlights of your professional life?
Playing in orchestras with the world’s greatest soloists and conductors.
Winning my first full-time orchestra position as Principal Oboe in Oklahoma City
Performing as Principal Oboe with the St. Louis Symphony
Playing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in the Cathedral in Mexico City
Performing with the Miami Symphony in Carnegie Hall, New York
Tell us about an outstanding performance that you recall.
I played the Schumann Romances many years ago at the Bay View Festival in Michigan with the pianist, Flavio Varani, who was known for his interpretation of Chopin. The unspoken musical communication that existed between us seemed like magic. His sense of inflection was mine; my rubato was his. Our musical sensibilities were quite in sync. We read it once, decided not to do anything further, and the performance was special.
What is the relevance of music in modern society?
From a mother singing to soothe a child to a stirring of patriotism, music evokes response in humankind everywhere. It is a vehicle for transmitting feeling - for communication between people. Melody and rhythm, two fundamental building blocks of music, are natural to the human race. Who can not be affected by hearing a musical beat? Finger snapping, foot tapping, head nodding, are normal reactions to a steady beat.
Deeper reactions such as a sense of serenity or passion are elicited from listening to music. Response to music runs the gamut from basic primal instincts to the deepest intellectual thought processes and all are part of the human experience. We listen to relax, to be roused, to be entertained: in short, to receive a feeling.
Music is also relevant as an economic force. Consider the impact of the recording industry, the concert world, promotions, tourism, the film industry, all of which use music for profit as well as art. Educationally, we know that the study of music has benefits that carry over to academic pursuits. The learning process in music is very much the same as in other endeavors, such as sports. One goes through the steps of learning a physical action (a technique) and then trying to perfect it by repetition (practicing) whether it be playing the oboe or throwing a curve ball.
Music is so integrated into society on so many levels that it can’t be considered irrelevant. Its relevance is couched in its universality.
Robert Weiner has been the Oboe Professor at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music since 1998. He actively performs in the South Florida area - both in concert and in the recording studios - and is principal oboist with the Florida Grand Opera. In the past he has served as principal oboist with the Miami Symphony Orchestra, Mexico City Philharmonic, Miami City Ballet Orchestra, Oklahoma Symphony Orchestra, and others, and has been guest principal oboist with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the Florida Philharmonic. Robert Weiner was also director and oboist of the Oklahoma City Chamber Players and has performed with New York City area orchestras, including the American Symphony Orchestra, New York City Ballet and Long Island Philharmonic among others. As a soloist with orchestras he has performed concerti by Mozart, Strauss, Bach, Corigliano, Maderna, Handel, Telemann, Marcello, Cimarosa, Albinoni, and Vivaldi.
Weiner has recorded on major labels and is active in the recording studios of Miami. He previously taught oboe at Conjunto Cultural Ollin Yoliztli in Mexico, Oklahoma City University, University of Oklahoma, and Cornell University. Acknowledged for his work on gouging machines and reed-making, he has been in demand by professionals for advice and work in those areas. He has a B.M. degree from Eastman School of Music, and a M.M. degree from State University of New York at Stony Brook. He studied oboe with Robert Sprenkle, Ronald Roseman, Harold Gomberg, John Mack, and Joseph Robinson.
Excerpts from an interview at the Frost School:
What would you say are the outstanding highlights of your professional life?
Playing in orchestras with the world’s greatest soloists and conductors.
Winning my first full-time orchestra position as Principal Oboe in Oklahoma City
Performing as Principal Oboe with the St. Louis Symphony
Playing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in the Cathedral in Mexico City
Performing with the Miami Symphony in Carnegie Hall, New York
Tell us about an outstanding performance that you recall.
I played the Schumann Romances many years ago at the Bay View Festival in Michigan with the pianist, Flavio Varani, who was known for his interpretation of Chopin. The unspoken musical communication that existed between us seemed like magic. His sense of inflection was mine; my rubato was his. Our musical sensibilities were quite in sync. We read it once, decided not to do anything further, and the performance was special.
What is the relevance of music in modern society?
From a mother singing to soothe a child to a stirring of patriotism, music evokes response in humankind everywhere. It is a vehicle for transmitting feeling - for communication between people. Melody and rhythm, two fundamental building blocks of music, are natural to the human race. Who can not be affected by hearing a musical beat? Finger snapping, foot tapping, head nodding, are normal reactions to a steady beat.
Deeper reactions such as a sense of serenity or passion are elicited from listening to music. Response to music runs the gamut from basic primal instincts to the deepest intellectual thought processes and all are part of the human experience. We listen to relax, to be roused, to be entertained: in short, to receive a feeling.
Music is also relevant as an economic force. Consider the impact of the recording industry, the concert world, promotions, tourism, the film industry, all of which use music for profit as well as art. Educationally, we know that the study of music has benefits that carry over to academic pursuits. The learning process in music is very much the same as in other endeavors, such as sports. One goes through the steps of learning a physical action (a technique) and then trying to perfect it by repetition (practicing) whether it be playing the oboe or throwing a curve ball.
Music is so integrated into society on so many levels that it can’t be considered irrelevant. Its relevance is couched in its universality.