Robin Kesselman was appointed Principal Bass of the Houston Symphony

                          Robin Kesselman

Orchestra by Maestro Andrés Orozco-Estrada in December of 2014. He has performed as Guest Principal Bass with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Israel Philharmonic, travelled internationally with both the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and appeared with the National, Atlanta, and Baltimore symphonies.

Outside of the orchestra, Kesselman frequently performs as a soloist and chamber musician, and also gives masterclasses around the country and abroad. During its 2016-17 season, the Houston Symphony and its Music Director featured him as a soloist, performing the Koussevitzky Concerto for Double Bass. Recently, he was also featured at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall as a part of the Curtis Chamber Orchestra’s residency with Krzysztof Penderecki performing his Duo Concertante. In the summers, Kesselman has attended such festivals as the Grand Teton, Pacific, Sarasota, and Aspen Music Festivals, as well as being a prize-winning fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center. Also, he has served as faculty for the National Youth Orchestra – USA at SUNY Purchase, Curtis Institute’s Summerfest, Richard Davis’ Bass Conference, and the summer residency of the Youth Philharmonic of Colombia.

A native of Wheaton, Illinois, Robin grew up in a musical family. His parents are choral directors and his sister is a soprano. He began his undergraduate studies at the Colburn School of Music before completing his Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Southern California in 2012. He went on to receive his Artist Diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music in December of 2014. Kesselman’s primary teachers have been David Allen Moore, Harold Robinson, Edgar Meyer, Paul Ellison, Chris Hanulik, and Virginia Dixon.