The Annual

 Glebe Music Festival

In conjunction with The Glebe Society Inc

Robert Weatherburn reveres two great pianists as his musical mentors: Louis Kentner, and Wilhelm Kempff.  He has performed in many countries, and it was his first visit to South America that fired his interest in Latin and South American music, Robert makes regular visits to play there - particularly in Brasil - where he works there with the Folk Dance group, Aruanda.

Robert grew up in Sydney, and spent some time with Alexander Sverjensky before being awarded a scholarship to continue his studies in Europe.  In the early years he gave many broadcasts for the ABC's Young Australia programme - Werner Baer gave him the opportunity to broadcast his Dreamtime Suite for piano solo as part of that programme series - and as one of the pairs of hands of a piano duo with Rhondda Gillespie, made many appearances on ABC radio and TV. 

At the Sydney Festival, back in 1987, Rhondda and Robert gave the first performance of his arrangement for two pianos of Liszt's Geharnischte Lied, and - in a simultaneous broacast concert from the Sydney Opera house - the World Premiere of his Mnajdra for two pianos.  Since then Robert has reworked this composition for solo piano, and for piano duet - as played at the Glebe Music Festival in Sydney in 2009.

In the programme for 2010, Robert and Walter Shovk play Franz Reizenstein's arrangement of the English Dances by Sir Malcolm Arnold.  Sir Malcolm was a personal friend, and Robert played his concerto for piano 4 hands - with Rhondda Gillespie and the BBC orchestra - as part of the the BBC's  70th birthday tribute to the composer, followed by the concerto for two pianos for his 80th birthday. 

Robert founded the St Leonard's Festival in the UK - and the Phoenicia Festival of Chamber Music on Malta.  On Malta - next year - he will perform Musica Callada by Frederico Mompou - 4 books comprising 28 pieces of pieces for solo piano, inspired by the meditations of St Jean of the Cross.

Apart from his performing, composing and arranging, Robert is also a writer for numerous magazines, worldwide including Australian Photography and Cruising Helmsman here in Australia, a painter, and a photographer.

Listen to Robert Weatherburn perform

River and Stars

Winter Night