Roberto Kalb is a Mexican-born

conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Biology and medicine * Bone conduction, the conduction of sound to the inner ear * Conduction aphasia, a language disorder Mathematics * Conductor (ring theory) * Conductor of an abelian variety * Cond ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

, and

pianist A pianist ( , ) is a musician who plays the piano. A pianist's repertoire may include music from a diverse variety of styles, such as traditional classical music, jazz piano, jazz, blues piano, blues, and popular music, including rock music, ...

. He currently serves as the musical director for

Detroit Opera Detroit Opera is the principal opera company in Michigan, USA. The company is based in Detroit, where it performs in the Detroit Opera House. Prior to February 28, 2022, the company was named Michigan Opera Theatre. Annually, it produces four o ...

. As a conductor, he is praised for his musicianship and clarity.

Education

Kalb attended the

San Francisco Conservatory of Music The San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) is a private music conservatory in San Francisco, California, United States. As of 2024, it had more than 440 students. History The San Francisco Conservatory of Music was founded in 1917 by Ada ...

, receiving a

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

in composition. He then attended the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

, receiving a Masters of Music in

composition Composition or Compositions may refer to: Arts and literature *Composition (dance), practice and teaching of choreography * Composition (language), in literature and rhetoric, producing a work in spoken tradition and written discourse, to include ...

. He later pursued a dual Doctoral of Musical Arts in Composition from The

New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. The conservatory is located on Huntington Avenue along Avenue of the Arts (Boston), the Avenue of the Arts near Boston Symphony Ha ...

and conducting from the University of Michigan. In 2012, Kalb was awarded The American Prize in orchestral composition for his piece, ''Mascaras''. He has also received several other distinctions, including 2nd place in the Washington International Composition Competition, and first place in the Ann Arbor Symphony Sight and Sound Competition.

Career

In 2021, Kalb was the recipient of the Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistantship Award. On June 5, 2022, Kalb conducted

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL) is an American summer opera festival held in St. Louis, Missouri. Typically four operas, all sung in English, are presented each season, which runs from late May to late June. Performances are accompanied by the ...

's premiere of American composer

Tobias Picker Tobias Picker (born July 18, 1954) is an American composer, pianist, and Conductor (music), conductor, noted for his orchestral works ''Old and Lost Rivers'', ''Keys To The City (orchestral work), Keys To The City'', and ''The Encantadas (orches ...

's opera ''

Awakenings ''Awakenings'' is a 1990 American biographical drama film written by Steven Zaillian, directed by Penny Marshall, and starring Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, Julie Kavner, Ruth Nelson, John Heard, Penelope Ann Miller, Peter Stormare and Max ...

''. Later that year, in November, he was appointed the second

Music Director A music director, musical director or director of music is a person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert ...

following

David DiChiera David DiChiera ( ; April 8, 1935 – September 18, 2018) was an American composer and founding general director of Michigan Opera Theatre. Career Born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania as son of Italian immigrants, DiChiera was raised in Los Angeles, ...

's tenure in the role.

Personal life

Kalb is married to

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

Mane Galoyan.

Compositions

* ''Mascaras'' (orchestra) * ''Le Dormeur du Val'' (piano trio) * ''Ryden Scenes'' (string quartet) * ''String Quartet No. 1''

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kalb, Roberto Year of birth missing (living people) Mexican conductors (music) 21st-century conductors (music) Mexican male classical composers Mexican classical composers Living people Male conductors (music) 21st-century Mexican male musicians 21st-century Mexican musicians 21st-century classical composers San Francisco Conservatory of Music alumni University of Michigan alumni New England Conservatory alumni Music directors (opera)