Biography

Born in Worcester, 1967, Robert grew up in Chipping Sodbury near Bath and went to Bristol Grammar School, studying music to A-Level where he found a passion for technical composition skills (harmony and counterpoint) and modernist music (such as Webern, Cage, Tippett and Birtwistle), whilst also playing in rock and pop bands outside of school. He studied music at Bath College of HE, specialising in composition, Baroque fugue, also learning organ at Bath Abby with Peter King. He then studied for a doctorate in composition at Nottingham University with composer Nick Sackman, graduating in 1994.​His first academic post was at Burton Technical College teaching music and performing arts, then at Stafford College before moving to Leeds College of Music in 2004 and then York St John University in 2007 where he was Head of School of the Arts until turning freelance in 2022. His work has been a balance of teaching, management and research, particularly focusing on composition, collaboration, performance and production. ​Robert lives in Horsforth, Leeds, with his wife Catherine and their two children. ​