It’s hard for someone to have two full-time jobs ““
and Jon Robertson, chairman of the UCLA Department of Music and
conductor of the UCLA Philharmonia Orchestra, has finally decided
he has spent enough time juggling.
This December, Robertson will step down from the position of
chairman in order to put all of his energy into conducting.
Robertson will have a chance on Tuesday night to display the
talent he will soon dedicate all his time to cultivate. At
Schoenberg Hall, he will conduct the orchestra in a concert that
will premiere the work of faculty member Paul Chihara and student
Derrick Spiva along with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C
minor.
“It has been a great experience as a conductor watching my
students develop and catching a glimpse of what they are
becoming,” Robertson said, “The 10 years I’ve
spent here have been wonderful. I’ve enjoyed my work and the
support of the faculty and staff.”
Robertson began playing piano at age 7, and it didn’t take
long for his piano teacher Ethel Leginska to discover that he had
an extraordinary gift for music.
At age 10, he made his New York debut as a concert pianist,
launching his music career. He then went on to enter Juilliard
School of Music when he was 16 on a full scholarship.
Although he entered college at a younger age than the typical
student, Robertson said it was never a problem as Juilliard
students are judged on their musicianship rather than their
age.
During the time spent as a concert pianist, Robertson harbored a
secret aspiration to be a conductor.
“Conducting is like a terminal illness,” Robertson
said. “Once people get this burning desire to conduct, they
usually don’t stop until they succeed.”
As a solo performer, Robertson found the immense amount of time
he had to spend alone with his instrument to be lonely. Conducting
offered a much more social side to music because he is now able to
work in a group environment and thrive off of challenging the
orchestra.
“Solo performance is very personal, while conducting is a
tremendous group activity,” Robertson said. “It’s
dealing with people and their emotions because unlike an
instrument, which is … wood and strings, a conductor is dealing
first with people, because they are human beings who are holding
instruments.”
Robertson’s road to success has not always been easy. He
says he still feels the presence of racism in the classical music
world, of which African Americans constitute a small minority
““ though it has lessened from when he was younger.
“When I say I’m a musician, people say, “˜Oh,
you must play jazz,'” Robertson said. “There are
very few black conductors in classical fields, and although some
things are changing, it is still a struggle.”
Robertson was chairman of the music departments at three small,
private colleges prior to coming to UCLA. He initially expressed
his concern about working at such a large school, fearing it would
be too impersonal for him.
However, his experience during his 10 years at UCLA has turned
out to be much more intimate and friendly than anticipated.
Keeping the music department small, increasing the quality of
the musicians the department turns out, and hiring renowned faculty
have been Robertson’s goals during the time he has spent as
chairman.
“The orchestra was not strong when I came here, and in the
10 years that I have been at UCLA, we have become a major player
against other universities and conservatories,” Robertson
said.
Jon Robertson conducts the UCLA Philharmonia Orchestra Nov.
18 at 8 p.m. in Schoenberg Hall. Tickets are $7 for general
admission, $3 for students and seniors. Free for music majors. Call
(310) 825-2102 for ticket information.