Robert S. Cohen has written music for chorus, orchestra, chamber ensemble, dance and theatre and has been the recipient of numerous awards and commissions, including a New Jersey State Council on the Arts Fellowship, an American Music Center Grant, a Meet the Composer Award, New York Composer’s Circle Award, the 2011 New England String Quartet International Composition Competition and several grants from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. His works have been performed in such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall, Severance Hall, Symphony Space, Bargemusic & the Sofia Opera House. Alzheimer’s Stories for soloists, chorus and large ensemble with a libretto by 2012 Grammy winner Herschel Garfein was commissioned and premiered by the Susquehanna Chorale in 2009 and has been performed in major cities throughout the U.S. and received its European premiere in Vienna June 2014; Of Eternity Considered as a Closed System for soloists, chorus and orchestra was premiered at Carnegie Hall by the Pro Arte Chorale & Westfield Symphony, and the Bulgarian National Opera Orchestra and Chorus. His monodrama Edison Invents for baritone and orchestra with a libretto also by Herschel Garfein was commissioned and premiered by the Westfield Symphony in 2007. Other works include String Quartet #2 (A Day in the Life), The Mysterious Transformation of Johann B., Five Nights in Sofia for violin & piano inspired by Bulgarian folk music, Dream Journal for brass quintet, Homeland Security Suite for percussion and a ballet, Tiktaalik and an extensive catalogue of choral works including: Genesis Part I: Creation for soloists, chorus, brass & percussion, Sleep, Little Baby, Sleep, Christmas Eve, Before, The Road Back, The Beauty of Life, Three Spirituals, Night Cadence, Sprig of Lilac, Sing with Me for chorus & small ensemble, Peter Quince at the Clavier, Sonnet 128, Stay in Time, Lullaby, Evening Star and God’s Whisper. He is published by Edition Peters, Hal Leonard, Shawnee Press, Absolute Brass, Dramatic Publishing, HoneyRock Music and his own Leapfrog Productions.
In addition, Bob co-authored the book and composed the score for the 2000 Richard Rodgers Award winning Off-Broadway musical Suburb. Bob received his A.B. in music from Brown University where he studied with Ron Nelson; his M.A. in Composition from Queens College; and served time in the doctoral program at Columbia University. He currently lives in Montclair, NJ with his wife Maryann and two cats, Fred & Ginger. He can be contacted at bob@robertscohen.com.