Robert Wendel

For the French steelmaker, see Robert de Wendel.

Robert Wendel
Robert Wendel – American composer from Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Born	1951 (age 73–74) Bridgeport, Connecticut
Citizenship	United States
Education	University of Connecticut (BA) University of Connecticut (BSc) University of Connecticut (MA)
Occupation	Composer

Robert Wendel (born 1951) is an American contemporary classical composer and conductor from Bridgeport, Connecticut. ^{[ citation needed ]}He has conducted orchestras across the United States, including those in Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Minnesota, Baltimore, Atlanta, Cincinnati, and Dallas.^{[ citation needed ]} Wendel has also toured as a conductor for Harry Connick Jr., and conducted for the PBS special Romance From Paris as well as a 1998 concert for the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway.^{[ citation needed ]}

Biography

Wendel was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1951. He attended the University of Connecticut, ^[1] where he majored in chemistry and music. While there, he studied with Hale Smith and took private lessons with Leroy Anderson, whose influence is apparent in Wendel's melodic and accessible style. ^[2] He was an assistant conductor of the University of Connecticut Symphony and the New Britain Symphony. After receiving his Master of Arts degree, Wendel worked in musical theatre for several years before moving to New York City, where he worked as an orchestra member and stand-by conductor at Radio City Music Hall. Wendel also conducted and arranged music for Carol Channing during this time. ^[3]

Wendel’s work has been performed at various events. These include a telecast on WJRT-TV 12 every December since 2001, ^[4] a memorial concert for the Challenger astronauts at Kennedy Space Center, and a concert to honour Tuskegee Airmen and World War II veterans. ^[5]

Awards and recognition

In 2014, Wendel received The American Prize Judge’s Special Citation for “Music for Use. Well Crafted, Accessible and Performance-Ready.” In 2015, he was named one of five “Honoured Artists” by The American Prize, recognizing his contributions to American orchestral music. ^[6]

List of works

Orchestral

• "Fanfare for Freedom" (1994) - Premiered by the Atlanta Symphony
• "The Tall Ships" (1999) - Premiered by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
• "Commemoration" (2000) - Broadcast premiere by the National Symphony Orchestra
• "Parade of the Percussionists" (2000) - Premiered by the Hilo Philharmonic
• "Ride of the Headless Horseman" (2001) - from "A Halloween Trilogy" - Premiered by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra
• "Take Flight" (2003) - Premiered by the Columbus Symphony Orchestra
• "The Pit and the Pendulum" (2004) - from "A Halloween Trilogy" - Premiered by the Chicago Civic Symphony
• "Towers of Light" (2006) - Premiered by The Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and named a finalist in the first "American Prize" in Orchestral Composition ^[7]
• "Trick Or Treat" (2006) - from "A Halloween Trilogy" ^[8] - Premiered by the Hilton Head Orchestra
• "Meditation" (2008) - Premiered by the University of Wyoming Symphony
• "Fanfare: Welcome Home" (2010) - Premiered by the Gulf Coast Symphony
• "Caribbean Sleigh Ride" (2010) - Premiered by the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra ^[9]
• "The Wolf Was Framed!" (2011) - Premiered by the Cherokee Symphony, Lee Thorson conductor
• "The Poltergeist Polka" (2011) - Premiered by the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra
• "The Nativity Bells" (After Byrd) (2013) - Premiered by the Atlanta Symphony ^[10]

Vocal

• "Christmas Through Children's Eyes" (2001) - Lyrics by Vince Trani
• "Santa Dear" (2002) - Lyrics by Vince Trani and Robert Wendel
• "The Bells of Christmas" (2003) - Lyrics by Vince Trani
• "Virginia, 1861" (2011) - For the sesquicentennial of the Civil War (for S.A.T.B. choir, boys' choir and orchestra from texts by Herman Melville and James Joyce)
• "It Wouldn't Be Christmas Without you" (2011) - Lyrics by Vince Trani - Premiered by the Arkansas Symphony
• "This Is Chanukah" (2013) - Co-Premiered by the Philly Pops and The University of Wyoming Symphony and chorus. ^[11] (Named a finalist for the 2014 "American Prize for Choral Composition) ^[12]
• "Holiday Greetings" (2014) - Premiered by David Charles Abell conducting The Philly Pops, Festival Chorus, and Philadelphia Boys Choir (Named a finalist for the 2015 "American Prize in Choral Composition." ^[13]
• "Ring Out Bells, Ring!" (2017) - Premiered by Jeffrey R. Smith conducting The Philly Pops and Philadelphia Boys Choir.

Arrangements

• "The Armed Forces March" (1998)
• "April Fool Concerto" (1994/2002)
• "Back to the Fifties" (1999)
• "Bali il Tarantella" (2009)
• "Baroque Festival Overture" (2007)
• "The Best Christmas of All" (1997)
• "Carol of the Bells" (1998)
• "Chanukah Overture" (1995)
• "Christmas a la Valse!" (1995)
• "Coventry Carol" (1995)
• "An Evergreen Christmas" (2000)
• "Fiesta Mexicana" (1991)
• "The Flintstones Meets the Jetsons" (1994)
• "From Sea to Shining Sea" (1993/1995)
• "A George M. Cohan Overture." (1994)
• "Good King Wenceslas (After Tchaikovsky 6th Symphony) (2018)
• "In The Manger" (1998)
• "An Irish Trilogy" (1998)
• "Jingle Fourth" (1990) - From "A Classical Christmas Suite"
• "Jonny Quest March" (2005)
• "Little Bolero Boy" (1990) - From "A Classical Christmas Suite" Also known as The Little Drummer Boy (Bolero)
• "A Merry Christmas Sing-Along" (2012) ^[14]
• "Meditation" (2006)
• "An Old Fashioned Summer" (1998)
• "The Orange Blossom Special" (1996)
• "Orfeo's Rockatta" (2001)
• "The Original Ragtime Band" (1995)
• "O Holy Night (After Massenet - Thais)" - (2017)
• "Overture to a Merry Christmas" (1990) - From "A Classical Christmas Suite"
• "Protest And Hope" (1997)
• "Raymond Scott Music" (1993–1997) ^[15]
• Includes "Powerhouse, Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals, Huckleberry Duck, The Penguin, The Toy Trumpet, Twilight in Turkey." Available through G. Schirmer
• "Rock Around The Clock" (1995)
• "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (2000)
• "Saint Bailey's Rag" (1991)
• "The Saint Louis Blues" (1994)
• "The Smurf's March" (2005)
• "A Stephen Foster Overture" (1992)
• "Still, Still, Still" (2010)
• "Surf's Up!" (1993)
• "Swing Ludwig, Swing!" (1999)
• "That's It, That's All... The End!" (2004)
• "Under The Big Top" (2006)
• "Viva Puccini" (1997)
• "We Need a Little Christmas" (1996)
• "We Three Kings..." (1990) - From "A Classical Christmas Suite"
• "When TV Was Young" (1999)

Discography

• American Reflections Catalog No: RWM001 ^[16]
• Christmas Old and New Catalog No: RWM002 ^[17]
• Christmastime Is Here Telarc - "Little Bolero Boy" and "We Need A Little Christmas" ^[18]
• Commemoration ABC - Catalog No:4767929 ^[19]
• Christmas a la Valse Houston Symphony Society - Catalog No: B0000EI98P ^{[20] [21] [22]}

References

1. "Summer 2010". UConn Magazine. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011.
2. "Welcome to Robert Wendel Music". www.wendelmusic.com. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
3. "North Shore Music Theatre - Carol & Chita 1997". www.nsmt.org. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011.
4. Swiatecki, Chad (18 December 2010). "It's a milestone year for the man behind the scenes at Flint's Holiday Pops". mlive. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
5. "Dayton Performing Arts Alliance | Ballet | Opera | Philharmonic :: DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA RECEIVES 9th ASCAP AWARD FOR ADVENTUROUS PROGRAMMING". Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
6. "The American Prize announces five HONORED ARTISTS for 2015" . Retrieved 14 September 2025.
7. "The American Prize: FINALISTS in CHORAL & ORCHESTRAL COMPOSITION". 26 March 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
8. "Reviews". www.thewritehag.com. Archived from the original on 28 August 2010.
9. "Concert review: Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra's 'Home for the Holidays'". 27 November 2010.
10. "The Madison-Morgan Cultural Center Hosts The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra". Morgan County Citizen. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
11. "Archives | The Philadelphia Inquirer". www.inquirer.com. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
12. "The American Prize: COMPOSER FINALISTS: Chorus". 27 June 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
13. "The American Prize: COMPOSER FINALISTS: choral music (professional & student divisions)". 2 October 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
14. "Holly Jolly Holiday". houstonsymphony.org.
15. "Home". www.wisemusicclassical.com. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
16. "American Reflections". Archived from the original on 8 November 2011.
17. "Christmas - Old & New". Archived from the original on 22 October 2012.
18. "Christmastime Is Here / Kunzel, Erich & Cincinnati Pops". Amazon. 23 January 2024.
19. "Soliloquy". iTunes . Archived from the original on 2 October 2017.
20. "Houston Symphony Christmas Festival". 30 January 2003 – via Amazon.
21. LaCanadaPC (14 January 2024). "Christmas a la Valse! arr. Robert Wendel". Youtube.com.
22. "Houston Symphony* And Chorus* – Houston Symphony Christmas Festival". Discogs.com. 2003.