Robert Kyr

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Robert Kyr (b. 1952) is an American composer and music educator.

Robert Kyr is one of America's prominent living composers, and is probably the most prolific composer of his generation (9 symphonies, 3 chamber symphonies, 3 violin concerti, numerous large works for orchestra, oratorios and other large-scale choral works, and numerous chamber works for strings, piano, and other instruments).

Luminous and sometimes ecstatic in effect, Kyr's work is basically tonal, and often harmonically and rhythmically complex, its sophistication deriving from its synthesis of both modern and ancient modes, and both Western and Asian musical traditions. An engaged activist for world peace, Kyr has initiated a number of projects that bring together musicians from diverse cultures, or combine music with other media, and touch upon current or historical events.

Kyr's compositions have been performed widely around the world, in prominent forums such as Juilliard and Carnegie Hall, and have been commissioned by the United Nations, by the city of Nagasaki, and by many ensembles, such as Chanticleer, the Oregon Symphony, and the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. He is the recipient of awards from Meet the Composer, Chamber Music America, and many others.

Kyr's music has been recorded under the Telarc and New Albion labels.

Kyr is a figure on the international academic scene. He has held teaching positions at Yale, UCLA, the Longy School of Music and others. In recent years, he has directed the composition program at the University of Oregon, where he also directs the respected Bach Oregon Festival and the University of Oregon Composers Symposium, an annual event that gathers both distinguished and aspiring composers from around the world.

Kyr received his Bachelor's Degree from Yale University in 1974, followed by a Master's Degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1980 and a Ph.D from Harvard University in 1989; he also briefly studied at the Royal College of Music in London, England. His primary teachers included George Rochberg and George Crumb.