User:Scott Farmer

Composer, conductor & pianist Robert Ian Winstin was born in Chicago, in 1959. He began his musical studies at the piano, at the age of five. By the age of six he was improvising his way through the pieces in his piano lessons, instead of playing them ‘straight’ from the score. He completed his first ‘serious’ compositions by the age of eight.

Robert Ian Winstin has been awarded numerous prizes and honors for his works, including "Best Classical Recording of the Year" (JPF Awards), a ‘Joseph Jefferson Citations Wing Recommendation’ ("Oedipus Requiem"), five International Videographer Awards, a Distinguished Service Award for his tenure as Chairman of the Arts Council (Illinois), three Mayoral Proclamations and several ASCAP Awards. He was recently dubbed the “Ambassador of New Music” by United States Senator John Warner (VA). He is a Paul Harris Fellow.

He has written more than 200 works, including 5 symphonies, 2 piano concerti, a ‘cello concerto, 2 violin concerti, and numerous chamber and solo instrumental works. His "Taliban Dances" - 'Concerto for Violin & Orchestra' was labelled a "... masterpiece!" by the American Record Guide. Recent reviews on Amazon dubbed the "Taliban Dances" as "... nothing short of brilliant!" His “Spirituals for Violin & Orchestra” were premiered at Carnegie Hall.

His most recent recordings of his own works include his moving "September 11, 2001 - 9:05am," the brilliant "Taliban Dances," his award-winning "Oedipus Requiem," and his film score to the recently re-released 1904 classic "Le Voyage Dans La Lune."

His music has been performed throughout the world by such ensembles as the Rochester Philharmonic, the Toronto Philharmonia, the American Symphonietta, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, the Galesburg Symphony, the Czech Philharmonic, the Prague Radio Orchestra and the Kiev Philharmonic. Robert Ian Winstin is currently the Music Director & Principal Conductor of the Millennium Symphony, Composer in Residence of the Kiev Philharmonic, Music Director & Principal Conductor of the American Symphonietta, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Kiev Philharmonic.

As a conductor, Robert Ian Winstin has recorded over 50 recordings of the music of living composers, and is the Music Director for the award-winning recording series "Masterworks of the New Era." He is a former Chairman of the Mayor’s Arts Commission (IL), past President of the Foundation for New Music and is a Paul Harris Fellow. --Scott Farmer (talk) 18:12, 11 December 2008 (UTC)