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Robert Bernhardt


Robert Bernhardt is the second Music Director in the history of the combined Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, and currently in his 13th season with the company. Along with the extraordinary growth and rejuvenation of our city, he has likewise lead the CSO into its most exciting and hopeful period with dedication, enthusiasm, sense of humor, and commitment to excellence. A lover of all genres of music, he is equally at home in symphonic, operatic, pops and educational performances.

High praise for his work, which has been consistent throughout his tenure, has included:

“Mr. Bernhardt and musicians (are) now playing with unmatched precision and confidence.” Chattanooga Times Free Press

“Throughout, Maestro Bernhardt showed his absolute command and artistic sensitivity as he led the players through the score as a unified body, intonation and execution pleasingly intact.” The Pulse

“In addition to being a conductor of immense musical ability, Bernhardt has the unique gift of demystifying music for the masses. (…) With few exceptions, the orchestra under Robert Bernhardt’s direction set the standard with clean, intelligent, and energetic playing. Bernhardt’s control and pacing brought this exciting music alive with solid intonation and a tight ensemble.” Chattanoogan.com

Concurrent with his CSO tenure, Bernhardt holds the additional title of Principal Pops Conductor of the Louisville Orchestra. He is celebrating his 25th anniversary with the LO this year. He began his professional career there in 1981 as Assistant Conductor, and has worked with the Orchestra every year since. Formerly, he was the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Rochester (NY) Philharmonic (1995-98), Artistic Director of the Sewanee Music Festival in 1999, Music Director and Conductor of the Tucson (AZ) Symphony Orchestra (1987-95), Principal Guest Conductor of Kentucky Opera (1991-96), Artistic Director of the Lake Placid Sinfonietta (1993-97) and Music Director of the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra (1985-1987). His vast symphonic repertoire covers most of the standard canon and his commitment to the music of our time is significant.

He has been a frequent guest conductor with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Pops. He has also been a guest with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, and others. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1978, and has recorded for Vanguard, First Edition, Carlton Classics, and RPO record labels. In addition to his Louisville Orchestra schedule, he has guest conducting engagements with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, and Chattanooga Ballet.

A lover of opera, he has conducted staged productions of Don Giovanni, La Traviata, Rigoletto, La Bohème, Il Trovatore, The Flying Dutchman, The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute, Carmen, Tosca, The Barber of Seville, Susannah, Don Pasquale, Lucia di Lammermoor, Die Fledermaus, Madame Butterfly, Cavalleria Rusticana, Faust, Fidelio, Turandot, Il Pagliacci, Cosi Fan Tutte, Hansel and Gretel, Elixir of Love, Albert Herring, The Turn of the Screw, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Orfeo ed Euridice, numerous Gilbert & Sullivan operettas, and the musical My Fair Lady. In addition to his work with the Chattanooga Opera, he has conducted the Opera Companies of Nashville and Birmingham. He also has conducted the Louisville Ballet, the North Carolina Ballet, the Jacksonville Ballet, and the Lonestar Ballet.

Born in Rochester, NY, Robert Bernhardt holds a Master's Degree with Honors from the University of Southern California School of Music where he studied with Daniel Lewis. He was a Phi Beta Kappa summa cum laude graduate of Union (NY) College, where he was an Academic All-American Baseball Player. His son, Alex, lives and works in Seattle, and his daughter, Charlotte, is a sophomore in the Acting program at the University of Arizona in Tucson.