The Robb Trust supports the editing, arrangement, performance and recording of Robb’s original compositions, as well as the work of other composers. This year’s performances included a “John Donald Robb Tribute Concert,” presented by the University of Missouri-St. Louis to a standing room only audience.
New Mexico’s gorgeous landscapes and cultural diversity have long drawn artists of all kinds from throughout the world. UNM cultivates creative pursuits among students, faculty and the community while honoring the heritage of arts in the Southwest.
One of the many UNM programs that advance these goals is the John Donald Robb Musical Trust, established in 1989 to advance Robb’s musical legacy and his commitment to education and the music of the Southwest.
Robb served as dean of the UNM College of Fine Arts from 1942-57 and started the UNM Symphony, as well as many other educational initiatives. He composed an impressive body of work including symphonies, concertos, sonatas, chamber and other instrumental music, choral works, songs and arrangements of folk songs, two operas, a musical comedy and more than 65 electronic works.
During his tenure at UNM, Robb’s fascination with Hispanic folk music led him to collect 3,000 field recordings of traditional songs and dances from Nepal, South America and the American Southwest. These formed the nucleus of the John Donald Robb Archive of Southwestern Music, housed in UNM’s Center for Southwest Research.
The Robb Trust supports the editing, arrangement, performance and recording of Robb’s original compositions, as well as the work of other composers. This year’s performances included a “John Donald Robb Tribute Concert,” presented by the University of Missouri-St. Louis to a standing room only audience.
The trust’s premier event, the annual John Donald Robb Composers’ Symposium, showcased 20 composers from around the world in 2008, including the work of UNM student and faculty composers. The Composer’s Symposium is one of the longest ongoing festivals of new music in the world.
In June, KNME premiered “The Musical Adventures of John Donald Robb in New Mexico.” The documentary can be viewed at an interactive Web site where visitors can experience other folk songs and photographs from the Robb Archive, knme.org/robb.
The 2007-08 UNM Robb Trust Composers’ Competition expanded from its previous regional coverage to include national composers and international judges, and the award for the winning composition was increased to $3,500. The competition accepts entries based on themes of Hispanic folk songs from the Robb Archive.
The Robb Trust established the Robb Graduate Music Assistantship to support the preservation and improvement of the Robb Archive. In addition to Robb’s field recordings of Hispanic and Southwestern folk songs, the collection includes Robb’s personal papers, photographs, scores and performances, and recordings of Southwestern music from more than 40 other researchers.
The trust also offers small grants for projects that advance its mission. Recently funded projects include a regional and national tour to introduce Robb’s piano music to new audiences and the transfer of field recording tapes to CD format to preserve the Robb folk archives.