Dr. Robert Frelly
- Affiliations:
- First-year Foundations Program
- Education:
- Chapman University, Bachelor of Music
California State University, Long Beach, Master of Music
University of Southern California, Doctor of Music
Biography
Robert Frelly is recognized throughout the country as an accomplished conductor and music educator. Dr. Frelly has taught instrumental music at all levels and for the past 26 years has served as Professor of Music and Director of Music Education within the Conservatory of Music. He also serves as the Music Director and Conductor of the University Wind Symphony and is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Southern California Youth Philharmonic and Conservatory of Music, a music program with over 200 students in 6 ensembles. His previous conducting posts include Music Director and Conductor of the La Mirada Symphony, Associate Conductor of the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, and Music Director and Conductor of the Southern California Philharmonic.
Noted for his artistic and visionary leadership, Dr. Frelly's appointments extend beyond the United States, having served as Artistic Director and Festival Conductor of music festivals in London (for the 2012 Olympic Games and Queen’s Jubilee), Vienna and Prague (2009), China (for the 2008 Olympic Games), and Sydney, Australia (2006 and 2007). As music director, he has led performances in 16 countries across 3 continents, including return visits to the famed Salzburg Music Festival and the renowned Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Equally at home in the classical, jazz and pop genres, Dr. Frelly has worked with a number of prominent artists, has conducted for film and opera, and is a frequent guest conductor for all-state and regional honor bands and orchestras.
A strong advocate for the arts, Dr. Frelly is a frequent clinician, presenter and leader with many notable arts organizations and has served as Mentor for NAfME (National Association for Music Education), President of the Youth Orchestra Division of the League of American Orchestras, and President of the California Association for Music Education —Southern Section. A leader in the field of music education, for the past 10 years Dr. Frelly has served in a variety of capacities for both the California Department of Education and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, which has included working as a member of the Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Framework and Evaluation Criteria Committee and as the lead assessor and trainer in music for the California Teacher Performance Assessment. In the Fall of 2019, Dr. Frelly was re-elected to a second term as Chairman of the Committee on Accreditation for the State of California. Dr. Frelly has authored numerous articles on music and has been a contributing writer for the Orange County Register.
Dr. Frelly is the recipient of the Arts Orange County as Artist and Arts Educator of the Year (2011), Chapman University Faculty Member of the Year (2008), a Chapman University Faculty Achievement Award, recognizing excellence in teaching and scholarly/creative activity, three Chapman University Scholarly/Creative Grants, and a Subito grant from the American Composers Forum. A champion of new music, Dr. Frelly has received national recognition on three occasions with the “First Place ASCAP Award for Programming of Music”.
Dr. Frelly holds a Doctor of Musical Arts — Music Education from the University of Southern California, and a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting from California State University, Long Beach, where he was inducted as a member of the Graduates Dean's List of University Scholars and Artists. He also holds dual Bachelor of Music degrees in Music Education and Music Composition from Chapman University and is a member of “Who’s Who Among America's Teachers".
Recent Creative, Scholarly Work and Publications
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Consulting Editor — Music for "Journal of Educational Research"
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Music Reviewer for "Journal of Educational Research"
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Artistic Director and Conductor (38th season), Southern California Youth Philharmonic — Created season program; Conducted 2 performances between September 2019 and May 2020 (season cut short due to COVID-19); Wrote program notes; Presented pre-concert lectures
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Conducted clinics for 7 high school bands, orchestras, and jazz bands nationwide
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Designated Lead Adjudicator and Clinician for 7 Music Festivals — Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco (2), Fullerton (2), and Westminster. All festivals were canceled due to COVID-19
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Music Reviewer for Journal of Educational Research
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Lead Adjudicator and Clinician for 7 Music Festivals — Seattle, San Francisco, Fullerton (2), Glendale, and Westminster (2)
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Conducted clinics for 14 high school bands, orchestras, and jazz bands nationwide
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Artistic Director and Conductor (37th season), Southern California Youth Philharmonic — Created season program; Conducted 4 performances between September 2018 and May 2019; Wrote program notes; Presented pre-concert lectures
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Performance at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles (June 2019), Artistic Director and Conductor, Southern California Youth Philharmonic
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Co-Author, CalTPA (California Teacher Performance Assessment) Program Implementation Guide — California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
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Higher Education Representative for the Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Framework and Evaluation Criteria Committee (VAPA CFCC)
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Artistic Director and Conductor (34th season), Southern California Youth Philharmonic — Created season program; Conducted 4 performances between September 2017 and May 2018; Wrote program notes; Presented pre-concert lectures
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Artistic Director of Orchestras — Perform Texas
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Artistic Director of Orchestras — Perform America
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Artistic Director of Orchestras — Perform International
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Guest Conductor (October and December): Orange County Symphony; Wrote program notes; Presented pre-concert lectures
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Artistic Director and Conductor (33rd season), Southern California Youth Philharmonic — Created season program; Conducted 5 performances between September 2016 and May 2017; Wrote program notes; Presented pre-concert lectures
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Conducted clinics for 16 high schools from the Western States
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Carnegie Hall, New York — Southern California Youth Philharmonic
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library — Southern California Youth Philharmonic
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Artistic Director and Conductor (31st season), Southern California Youth Philharmonic — Created season program; Conducted 5 performances between September 2013 and May 2014; Wrote program notes; Presented pre-concert lectures
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Music Director and Conductor (2nd season), La Mirada Symphony — September 2012 - April 2013; Created season program; Conducted 8 performances for a total audience of over 8,000; Wrote program notes