Robert Lehman

Music Director

Robert Lehmann is Director of String Studies and Assistant Professor of Music and Artist Faculty in violin and viola at the University of Southern Maine School of Music where his duties include conducting the Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra and the Portland Youth Symphony Orchestra.  Now in his ninth season as Music Director of the North Shore Philharmonic, he was the orchestra and board of directors' unanimous choice to become the fourth Music Director of this 59 year old institution.  Mr. Lehmann is also Music Director of the Portland Chamber Orchestra. Prior to his appointment at USM he served as Music Director of the Mozart Society Orchestra at Harvard University, the Greater Boston Youth Symphonies.  the Empire State Youth Repertory Orchestra and the Rhode Island Youth Philharmonic.

 Mr. Lehmann was born and raised in Mexico City, attended the Conservatorio Nacional de Musica, at sixteen became concertmaster of the National Youth Orchestra, and a year later joined the Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional professionally.  Mr. Lehmann studied with Warren Van Bronkhorst at the University of the Pacific, and at the Eastman School of Music. While at Eastman he participated in the Cleveland Quartet Seminar and served as concertmaster of the Eastman Philharmonia, in summer residence at the Schlossfestspiele in Heidelberg, Germany.

 Mr. Lehmann has served on the faculties of Northeastern University, Atlantic Union College, the Eastern US Music Camp, was the violinist of the EOS Ensemble, and was Conducting Fellow at The Conductorˆs Institute at Bard College and the Aspen Music Festival's American Academy of Conducting where he studied with David Zinmann and Murray Sidlin.  Mr. Lehmann is in demand as a conductor, violinist, teacher and clinician. He has conducted the Kharkyv Symphony in Ukraine, and concertized extensively throughout the US and in Mexico and Puerto Rico. He has conducted All-State Orchestras and festivals in California, Maine, Massachusetts and Hawaii and is past-president of the Maine American String Teacher's Association.  Mr. Lehmann will conduct the Portland Symphony Orchestra for the 2006 Magic of Christmas performances.