Music and Musicians

Robert Bernhardt

Robert Bernhardt is the second Music Director in the history of the combined Chattanooga Symphony & Opera, and is currently in his 16th season with the company. Along with the extraordinary growth and rejuvenation of our city, he has likewise lead the CSO into its most exciting and hopeful period with dedication, enthusiasm, sense of humor and commitment to excellence. A lover of all genres of music, he is equally at home in symphonic, operatic, pops and educational performances.

High praise for his work, which has been consistent throughout his tenure, has included:

“In addition to being a conductor of immense musical ability, Bernhardt has the unique gift of demystifying music for the masses, rescuing it from the pinnacle of high art to which many of its previous supporters had unfortunately elevated it.” - Mel Wilhoit, CHATTANOOGAN.COM

"Chattanoogans are extremely lucky to have Robert Bernhardt at the helm of their orchestra. The Maestro's high-energy conducting style and easy stage presence create an instant rapport that leaves his audience eager to actively participate in a program." -THE PULSE

"Paying keen attention to detail, including an ever-changing orchestral balance, Bernhardt cut a commanding presence, almost like a poised athletic dancer, guiding his forces through Mahler's wondrous textures and biting tonalities with a broad spectrum of emotions..."

“Bob Bernhardt who leads the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera has made so many gifts for this area with his musical abilities. I have heard from the younger generation that they like going to see a program because he has a wonderful gift of making it interesting.” -Laura Crane, CHATTANOOGAN.COM

Concurrent with his CSO tenure, Bernhardt holds the additional title of Principal Pops Conductor of the Louisville Orchestra where he celebrates his 28th anniversary last year. He began his professional career in Louisville in 1981 as Assistant Conductor, and has worked with the Orchestra every year since. In addition to his Louisville Orchestra work, his guest conducting schedule for this season includes a debut with the Houston Symphony, return engagements with the Seattle Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Edmonton Symphony, Tucson Symphony, and the Chattanooga Ballet.

Formerly, he was the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Rochester (NY) Philharmonic (1995-98), Artistic Director of the Sewanee Music Festival in 1999, Music Director and Conductor of the Tucson (AZ) Symphony Orchestra (1987-95), Principal Guest Conductor of Kentucky Opera (1991-96), Artistic Director of the Lake Placid Sinfonietta (1993-97) and Music Director of the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra (1985-1987). His vast symphonic repertoire covers most of the standard canon and his commitment to the music of our time is significant.

He has been a frequent guest conductor with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops. He has also been a guest with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, the Pacific Symphony Orchestra and others. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1978, and has recorded for Vanguard, First Edition, Carlton Classics and RPO record labels.

A lover of opera, he has conducted staged productions of Don Giovanni, La Traviata, Rigoletto, La Bohème, Il Trovatore, The Flying Dutchman, The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute, Carmen, Tosca, The Barber of Seville, Susannah, Don Pasquale, Lucia di Lammermoor, Die Fledermaus, Madama Butterfly, Cavalleria Rusticana, Faust, Fidelio, Turandot, Pagliacci, Cosi Fan Tutte, Hansel and Gretel, Elixir of Love, Albert Herring, The Turn of the Screw, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Orfeo ed Euridice, numerous Gilbert & Sullivan operettas and the musical My Fair Lady. In addition to his work with the CSO, he has conducted the Opera Companies of Nashville and Birmingham. He has also conducted the Louisville Ballet, the North Carolina Ballet, the Jacksonville Ballet and the Lonestar Ballet.

Born in Rochester, NY, Robert Bernhardt holds a Master's Degree with Honors from the University of Southern California School of Music where he studied with Daniel Lewis. He was a Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of Union (NY) College, where he was an Academic All-American Baseball Player. His son, Alex, lives and works in Seattle, and his daughter, Charlotte, is a recent graduate of University of Arizona in Tucson. He and his wife, Nora, live on Signal Mountain.