BIOGRAPHY Robert Moody has served as Music Director for the Winston-Salem Symphony (NC) since 2005, Artistic Director for Arizona Musicfest since 2007, and in the summer of 2008 became Music Director for the Portland (Maine) Symphony; he is very proud to serve the three fantastic performing arts organizations. The first three seasons for the Winston-Salem Symphony tremendous successes for the orchestra. Sold out concerts, performances with superstar musicians from various genre (including Itshak Perlman, Van Cliburn, Midori, Amy Grant, and The Manhattan Transfer), strong reviews from press and audience, and an orchestra that is quickly becoming one of the real "gem" regional orchestras in the country; all of this led American Symphony Orchestra League President Henry Fogel to pronounce the Winston-Salem Symphony "one of the very healthiest orchestras" he visited during his tenure leading A.S.O.L. (now League of American Orchestras). Upcoming highlights for WSS include a gala concert performance with internationally renowned violinist Robert McDuffie, a "first" joint performance of the Winston-Salem Symphony and the Greensboro Symphony (Bob will share the podium with GSO Music Director Dimitri Sitkovetski as each lead two performances of Richard Strauss' monumental Ein Heldenleben), and a not-to-miss season ending performance of the Beethoven Ninth Symphony! The Portland Symphony announced on May 30, 2007 the appointment of Robert Moody as Music Director Designate. He concluded the 2007/2008 season with PSO in much lauded performances of the titanic Mahler First Symphony ("Titan.") His first season as Music Director begins Fall of 2008; highlights of this first year include gala concert with the world's most beloved operatic soprano Renee Flemming, "welcome Maestro Moody" Fall concert performances of works such as Mussorsgky's Pictures at an Exhibition, Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 "From the New World," and living composer Mason Bate's Liquid Interface. PSO's season ends next spring with Stravinsky's Rite of Spring and an amazing concerto for Senegalese drummers and orchestra by composer James Demars called Sabar. February 2009 will mark Moody's third season as Artistic Director of Arizona Musicfest, a five-week festival during the winter in Arizona's Desert Foothills region. The MusicFest Festival Orchestra consists of members of some of the nation's top orchestras (Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Phoenix Symphony), and offer four concert programs each February. This year renowned cellist Lynne Harrell joins the festival orchestra in performance of Dvorak's Cello Concerto. Moody served as Associate, then Resident Conductor of The Phoenix Symphony from 1998 through 2006. He led The Phoenix Symphony each year in a wide variety of concerts, including Classics, Chamber, Pops, Family, and the popular presentations of Handel's Messiah and New Year's Eve gala. His casual manner and ability to speak with ease from the podium have helped novices and enthusiasts alike gain a greater appreciation for orchestral music. Moody also founded The Phoenix Symphony Chorus, and for seven years was Music Director of the Phoenix Symphony Youth Orchestra. Born and raised in Greenville, SC, Moody took up the cello in the public school system (Duncan Chapel Elementary) in the 4th grade. His voice and cello studies throughout high school (including three years of study at the Greenville County Fine Arts Center - one of the first public high schools for the arts in the nation) took him to Furman University, where he received a Bachelor's Degree in Church Music, with performing emphasis in both voice and cello. He then completed his Master of Music Degree in Conducting at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, where he studied with Donald Neuen. Moody is a frequent guest conductor with orchestras across the United States. This season marks his tenth year leading the Oklahoma City Philharmonic's "Discovery" concert series. Other recent and upcoming guest conducting appearances include debuts with the Seattle, Memphis, Ravinia Festival, Charleston, Virginia, as well as return engagement invitations with the Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Grant Park, Ft. Worth, and Anchorage Symphonies. And in the summer of 2007 he served as Conductor-in-Residence for the famed Eastern Music Festival (Gerard Schwartz, Artistic Director). Two recently recent Compact Disc recording mark a new chapter for Maestro Moody. The Canadian Brass released a CD entitled "Bach" late in 2007, and a second, entitled "Legends," in the summer of 2008. Moody is guest conductor on both CDs. When not making music, one is most likely to find Robert Moody snow-skiing, hiking, running, or involved in other outdoor activities. He was a founding member of The Phoenix Symphony Running Club, and completed his first marathon - Phoenix's "Rock-n-Roll" Marathon, in 2005. Christmas 2007 he ran the "Mistletoe" Half-Marathon in Winston-Salem, NC, and runs Portland, Maine's famed "Beach to Beacon" 10K summer 2008.