Robert McClure's music attempts to discover beauty in unconventional places using non-traditional means.
Photos by Jacob Swanson
Visual art, poetry, the natural world, neurological and mathematical concepts are all elements that influence McClure’s works. His work has been featured at festivals including NYCEMF, the Beijing Modern Music Festival, the Toronto International Electroacoustic Symposium, SCI National Conference, Seoul International Computer Music Festival, Ars Electronica Forum Wallis, SEAMUS, IDRS, ISCM, and ICMC.
In 2023, Robert was named the Music Teacher’s National Association (MTNA) Distinguished Composer of the Year for his work “Celestial Miniatures” for piano. Additionally, he was part of a nine-composer commission with ADJ·ective New Music by the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts for a new work to pair alongside “The Planets” by Holst. Robert composed “Earth: the spark” as part of this new collaborative work “…of the spheres” premiered by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra in March 2024.
His works may be found through ADJ·ective New Music LLC, Bachovich Music Publications, Imagine Music Publications, Innovative Percussion, Media Press, Inc., Resolute Music Publications, and Tapspace Publications as well as on the ABLAZE and Albany Record labels. Recently, he was awarded an Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award for 2020 and 2022.
Robert is the recipient of Individual Excellence Awards in 2020, 2022, and 2024 from the Ohio Arts Council. His recent commissions include works for the Toledo Symphony Orchestra; Ohio Music Teachers Association; the Johnstone Fund for New Music for Tower Duo, the Unheard-of//Ensemble, and UCelli; the Fredonia Saxophone Ensemble; the CAMPGround Ensemble; and the Aruna Quartet among others.
His works may be found through ADJ·ective New Music LLC, Bachovich Music Publications, Imagine Music Publications, Innovative Percussion, Media Press, Inc., Resolute Music Publications, and Tapspace Publications as well as on the Albany, ALBAZE, Cero, Navona, Neuma, and SEAMUS Record labels.
Robert McClure (b. 1984) received his doctorate from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University where his primary mentors were Shih-Hui Chen, Arthur Gottschalk, and Kurt Stallmann.Robert has previously held positions at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and Soochow University in Suzhou, China. He currently serves as an Associate Professor of Composition/Theory and Director of Graduate Studies at Ohio University
Upcoming
2025.01.14 rasp - Alex Wier at Chamichian Recital Hall, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA
2025.01.17 and my body’s cells keep ticking - Decho Ensemble at St. Luke Episcopal Church, Jamestown, NY, USA
2025.01.18 and my body’s cells keep ticking - Decho Ensemble at Luther Memorial Church, Erie, PA, USA
2025.01.29 at the river - Jamie Jordan and Daniel Druckman at Britton Recital Hall, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
2025.02.01 prowl - Lindsey Goodman at Rosch Recital Hall, SUNY-Fredonia, Fredonia, NY, USA
2025.02.10 a veil - Yerin Kim at Music Building Room 101, University of Gainsville, Gainsville, FL, USA
2025.02.11* Fauna - Tower Duo at Short North Stage, Columbus, OH, USA
2025.02.19 Fauna - Tower Duo at Glidden Recital Hall, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
2025.02.21 and my body’s cells keep ticking - Decho Ensemble at McAninch Arts Center (MAC) Room 140, College of Dupage, Glen Ellen, IL, USA
2025.02.22 residue - Vent Saxophone Quartet at Glidden Recital Hall, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
2025.02.23 Fauna - Tower Duo at National North American Saxophone Alliance Region V Conference, College Conservatory of Music, Cincinnati, OH, USA
2025.02.24 a veil - Yerin Kim at Katzin Hall, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
*= world premiere