Robert Mueller is Professor of Music at the University of Arkansas, where he teaches music composition and music theory and conducts the University Symphony Orchestra. He is also Chair of the Composition/Theory Area.
Dr. Mueller has twice been composer-in-residence for the Fort Smith Symphony, and his music has been performed nationwide by several orchestra including the Cincinnati, Omaha, Fort Smith, Lansing, Arkansas, Missoula, Helena, Jackson, and North Arkansas Symphonies. He has received numerous commissions, has been widely published, and has produced a chamber music CD entitled “Time Labyrinths.” A number of music festivals have programmed his music, including the Bowling Green New Music and Art Festival, the Music Festival of Arkansas, the Southwest Contemporary Music Festival, and conferences of the Society of Composers, International Double Reed Society, and College Music Society. He was selected to be composer-in-residence for Missouri State University’s Annual Composition Festival in March 2009. Dr. Mueller has been the recipient of 25 consecutive awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. He has also been awarded an American Music Center grant, an individual artist grant from the Arkansas Arts Council, prizes from the Omaha, Lansing, Jackson and Cincinnati Symphonies, and numerous other awards.
Dr. Mueller grew up in Michigan and attended Northern Michigan University, where he received the Outstanding Pianist Award upon graduation. He has also received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award from NMU, and was invited back to be composer-in-residence in the spring of 2004. He earned the Master of Music in Composition degree from Bowling Green State University, where he studied composition with Marilyn Shrude. At Bowling Green, he also did extensive studies in orchestral conducting. Dr. Mueller received a DMA in Composition at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where his teachers were Joel Hoffman, Allan Sapp, Jonathan Kramer, Frederic Rzewski, and Earle Brown.
Dr. Mueller performs as Pianist with the Fort Smith Symphony and the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. He is Music Director of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville, where he conducts the Chancel Choir, the Handbell Choir, and the Band of Shepherds. He writes most of the music for these ensembles.
During the summer, Dr. Mueller is on the faculty at the Interlochen Center for the Arts Summer Arts Camp.
