A violinist with “pristine musicianship married to dazzling energy “ (San Francisco Classical Voice), Robert Waters is the first violinist of the Fry Street Quartet, in residence at the Caine College of the Arts at Utah State University.
Robert grew up in Kent, Ohio, in a home filled with music. His parents were both career musicians, and his older brother and sister played cello and viola, so it was only natural that Robert started playing violin at a young age. Chamber music quickly became his chief passion, and solfege and counterpoint lessons with his father cemented his destiny as a true music nerd.
Robert’s happy musical partnership with the Fry Street Quartet began in 2012, but his path to that point has been filled with a variety of activities. His first foray into the world of high-level chamber music began with summers at – and tours with – the Marlboro Music Festival. Energized by the amazing experiences performing with his colleagues and mentors there, he soon founded the Jupiter Trio, which went on to tour internationally and become the first American ensemble in the history of the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition in Osaka, Japan, to win the gold medal.
As Associate Concertmaster of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, Robert was inspired by the all-encompassing world of opera, and came into frequent contact with some of the world’s greatest singers. Robert’s zeal for Baroque music was deepened through his experience as Concertmaster of Music of the Baroque, a Chicago-based orchestral/choral ensemble where he frequently performed as soloist.
A committed and enthusiastic educator, Robert has taught music students of all ages. His first teaching stint was as Associate Professor of Violin at DePaul University, which fed his burgeoning desire to pass on all he had learned from his own teachers and experiences to a new generation of musicians. In addition to faculty positions at Utah State and DePaul, he has enjoyed many opportunities over a span of more than twenty years to teach privately, coach chamber music, and lead masterclasses at a wide range of music festivals, camps, and workshops throughout the United States and beyond.
Robert is extremely fortunate to play on a violin by J.B. Guadagnini, made in 1763 in Parma, Italy, on generous loan by an anonymous benefactor.