Dr. Russell L. Robinson has been on the faculty at the University of Florida since 1984, where he is Professor of Music, Chair of the Music Education department and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in choral music and music education. Dr. Robinson holds the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Drury University, Springfield, Missouri, and the Masters and Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Miami. Well-known for his innovative and practical teaching and conducting techniques and frequently in demand, Dr. Robinson has made over 300 appearances as a conductor, speaker and presenter at festivals, workshops, state, regional and national conventions of the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) and the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), all state choirs and honor choirs throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, Australia, Asia, and Central America. His conducting venues have included prestigious performances at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Washington’s National Cathedral, the White House, Linz (Austria) Festival, Boston’s Symphony Hall and the Wiesbaden, Germany Kurhaus Concert Hall. His schedule keeps him in contact with some 20,000 students and teachers per year. He is past President of the Florida Music Educators Association, Interim Associate Dean for the UF College of Fine Arts, National Collegiate Chair for MENC and MENC Choral Adviser.
In November of 2002, Dr. Robinson was the music clinician for the European Council of International Schools in Berlin, Germany, and in 2003 he was named the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year for Career Achievement from Drury University. In November of 2003, Dr. Robinson was the clinician and conductor for the Singapore Choral Association Convention. In the fall of 2004, he was the featured clinician for the Australian National Choral Association in Adelaide as well as workshops for Department of Defense schools music teachers in the US, Japan, and throughout Europe. In the fall of 2005, Dr. Robinson was the featured music clinician for the Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA) Conferences in East, West and South Africa and again conducted and gave workshops for Department of Defense music teachers in Japan, Germany and the US in intensive training on the topic, Optimizing Musical Performance, working with composer, Libby Larsen. In May of 2006 he conducted the world premier of the Missa Brevis by renowned composer, Paul Basler, with choir and orchestra at Carnegie Hall. In the spring of 2007, Dr. Robinson presented workshops for international school teachers in Prague and Bangkok, and returned in the fall of 2007 to Africa at the request of the Association of International Schools of Africa. In March of 2008, he conducted the DoDDS-Europe Honors Chorus at the Kurhaus Concert Hall in Wiesbaden Germany and in the fall of 2008 he was an invited presenter for international schools conferences in Nice, France and San Jose, Costa Rica. In 2010, he will present workshops to international schools conferences in Manila, Phillipines and Monterey, Mexico.
Professor Robinson is a recipient of the UF College of Fine Arts Teacher of the Year and Doctoral Adviser/Mentor awards, the UF Research Foundation Professorship, and the University-wide recipient of the UF College of Education's Scholarship of Engagement award which recognizes honorees "whose scholarly activities are yielding an immediate positive impact on teaching and learning in the classroom."
Dr. Robinson is a published author, composer and arranger with over 200 publications in the catalogues of Warner Bros., Shawnee Press, Hal Leonard Publishing, Carl Fischer, Plymouth Music, MENC, Heritage Press, Colla Voce, Walton Publishers, Alliance Music Publications, Alfred Publishing, Bri-Lee Music, Belwin Publications, and has been the recipient of numerous ASCAP composer/arranger awards. A book which he co-wrote with Jay Althouse, The Complete Choral Warm-up Book, published by Alfred Publishing, is widely used by choral directors internationally as are his choral arrangements, and he has conducted the classical choral recordings for the educational catalogs of Warner Bros. Publications, Lawson-Gould and Alfred Publishing. Dr. Robinson's instructional DVD’s Creative Rehearsal Techniques for Today's Choral Classroom, Jazz Style and Improvisation for Choirs, Middle School Singers: Turning Their Energy Into Wonderful Choirs! his books, Songwriting Made Easy!, ALL YE WHO MUSIC LOVE, Six A Cappella Madrigals for 3-Part Mixed Choirs and Warm Ups by the Dozen! (Sets I and II) are published by Alfred Publications. His book, I Know Sousa, Not Sopranos! A Survival Guide for the Band Director Teaching Choirs! is published by Heritage Music Press.