Robert Sutton Whitney (July 9, 1904 – November 22, 1986) was an American conductor and composer. He was a student of Leo Sowerby. Robert Whitney was best known for founding, in November 1937, together with the mayor of

Louisville Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...

, Kentucky the

Louisville Orchestra The Louisville Orchestra is the primary orchestra in Louisville, Kentucky. It was founded in 1937 by Robert Whitney (1904–1986) and Charles Farnsley, Mayor of Louisville. The Louisville Orchestra employs salaried musicians, and offers a wide ...

, and becoming its first conductor, a post he held until 1967.Cox, Dwayne; Morison, William James (2000). . University Press of Kentucky. p. 119. . (Its original name was the "Louisville Civic Arts Association," which was later changed to the "Louisville Philharmonic Society." The orchestra finally adopted its current name after it filed an amendment to its articles of incorporation in 1977.) His concerto grosso had earlier (1934) been performed by the

Chicago Symphony Orchestra The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) was founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891. The ensemble makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival. The music director is Riccardo Muti, who began his tenu ...

. Whitney also served as dean of the School of Music of the

University of Louisville The University of Louisville (UofL) is a public research university in Louisville, Kentucky. It is part of the Kentucky state university system. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one ...

, from 1956 to 1971. He was a National Patron of

Delta Omicron Delta Omicron () is a co-ed international professional music honors fraternity whose mission is to promote and support excellence in music and musicianship. History Delta Omicron International Music Fraternity was founded on September 6, 1909 at ...

, an international professional music fraternity. Whitney Hall, the largest performance venue in The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts is named for him.

References

1904 births 1986 deaths American male conductors (music) University of Louisville faculty 20th-century American conductors (music) 20th-century American male musicians {{US-conductor-stub