Robert Swensen

Robert Swensen is a Professor of Voice at the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, where he has served since 2001. He previously held faculty positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music and the University of Arizona School of Music.

• Education: BM from the University of Arizona, MM cum laude from the University of Southern California.

Professor Swensen specializes in vocal performance, with a focus on opera, lieder, and vocal pedagogy. He has been a key figure in training male singers for both classical and musical theatre repertoire, and his master classes and seminars have influenced vocalists globally. His career bridges performance and education, emphasizing the intersection of musical theatre and classical traditions.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Concert Artists Guild International Competition First Prize
  • Premio Giuseppe Borgatti Concorso
  • ARD Munich Competition
  • Walter Naumberg Competition
  • ‘s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands
  • Puccini Foundation Prize
  • George London Foundation Award

Swensen’s students have achieved prominence in international opera companies (e.g., Boston Early Music Festival, San Francisco Opera, Salzburg Festival) and won accolades in major competitions like the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the Lotte Lenya Competition. He also contributes to the Eastman Sings summer program, offering seminars on vocal pedagogy.