Bobby Collins

Robert D. Collins has conducted a variety of ensembles including symphony, chamber, and pit orchestras, as well as contemporary music ensembles ranging from beginning to professional level. He currently serves as Conductor and Co-Founder of The Sound Ensemble. He has conducted, in performance, groups such as Rainier Symphony and Inverted Space Ensemble.

While pursuing a masters’ degree in orchestral conducting at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) he founded Northern Ohio Chamber Orchestra (NOCO), an independent community orchestra, and served as Assistant Conductor for the BGSU orchestra program. He is uniquely gifted at programming music that is accessible and enjoyable for the whole community, while still challenging and developing the ensemble. In Summer 2013 he made his international debut in St. Petersburg, Russia, where he conducted the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic as a Prize Winner of the Fifth International Masterclass in Orchestral Conducting.

 Before attending BGSU, Robert taught music in the Seattle area, and served as the Horn Coach and Cover Conductor for Everett Youth Symphony Orchestras. For the two years prior to this, he worked as the Assistant Conductor of the Kittitas Valley Youth Orchestra. Robert has also appeared in concert with orchestras such as Yakima Symphony Chamber Orchestra, International Conducting Workshop and Competition Orchestra, Leavenworth Summer Theater’s Sound of Music pit orchestra, the BGSU Philharmonia, Chamber Orchestra, and New Music Ensemble as well as Central Washington University Symphony Orchestra.