Robert Kahn

Assistant Conductor

Dutch conductor and 2022 recipient of the Solti Career Assistance Award, Robert Kahn is currently serving as the Assistant Conductor at the Academy of Vocal Arts. In May 2022, he concluded the Conducting Fellowship at the Curtis Institute of Music, where he was mentored by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Conversant with both symphonic and operatic repertoire, Robert has served as cover conductor with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the New York Philharmonic under Jaap van Zweden. In 2022, he was invited to assist Yannick Nézet-Séguin with the Rotterdam Philharmonic on their European Tour. Robert has also served as assistant conductor with the Juilliard Opera, the Curtis Opera, and the Mannes Opera, and was invited to guest conduct Act II of La Bohème with the Academy of Vocal Arts in 2021.

As a recipient of the Julius Rudel Conducting Award, Robert served as cover conductor with the Buffalo Philharmonic under JoAnn Faletta, returning to conduct the BPO in concert. Robert also served as cover conductor to Miguel Harth-Bedoya with the Fort Worth Symphony. In the summer of 2021, he was one of twelve participants at the Gstaad Conducting Academy, studying with Jaap van Zweden and Johannes Schlaefli.

Passionate about new music, Robert collaborated with David Hertzberg to conduct the studio recording of his new opera, The Rose Elf, which received wide acclaim including Critic’s Pick by Opera News magazine. In 2021, Robert conducted the same work for a digital co-production of LA Opera / Opera Omaha in collaboration with the ICE ensemble. As associate conductor for On Site Opera, Robert conducted a newly commissioned opera by John Musto at the Museum of Natural History in New York City. Robert has also conducted new opera works at Opera Philadelphia’s Double Exposure workshop.

Robert received his Professional Studies Degree in Orchestral Conducting at the Mannes School of Music, studying with David Hayes. Previous conducting teachers include Ignat Solzhenitsyn, Harlan D. Parker, and Harold Farberman. He holds a Double Bachelor’s Degree in Physics and Clarinet from The Johns Hopkins University and Peabody Conservatory.