Overview

New Mexico’s gorgeous landscapes and cultural diversity have long drawn artists of all kinds from throughout the world. UNM cultivates creative pursuits among students, faculty and the community while honoring the heritage of arts in the Southwest.

One of the many UNM programs that advance these goals is the UNM John Donald Robb Trust, established in 1989 to advance Robb’s musical legacy and his commitment to education and the music of the Southwest.

Robb served as Dean of the UNM College of Fine Arts from 1942-57 and was responsible for starting the UNM Symphony, as well as many other educational initiatives. He composed an impressive body of work including symphonies, concertos, sonatas, chamber and other instrumental music, choral works, songs and arrangements of folk songs, two operas and a musical comedy and more than 65 electronic works.

During his tenure at UNM, Robb’s fascination with Hispanic folk music led him to collect 3,000 field recordings of traditional songs and dances from Nepal, South America and the American Southwest, which formed the nucleus of the John Donald Robb Archive of Southwestern Music, housed in UNM Libraries’ Center for Southwest Research.

The UNM Robb Trust supports the editing, arrangement, performance and recording of Robb’s original compositions, as well as the work of other composers.

Each spring, the annual UNM John Donald Robb Composers’ Symposium brings composers from around the world while also showcasing the work of UNM student and faculty composers. The Composers’ Symposium is one of the longest ongoing festivals of new music in the world, and it has attained a regional, national and international reputation.

The University of New Mexico (UNM) Robb Trust Composers’ Competition in 2007/2008 made a great leap forward from its previously regional coverage to include all interested national composers and involve international judges, and the Trust increased the award for the winning composition to $3,500. As in the past, the competition continues to focus upon Dean Robb’s legacy by requiring entries to be based upon themes of Hispanic folk songs from the Robb Archives at the Center for Southwest Research in the UNM Zimmerman Library. The Competition also has acquired international dimensions by the appointment of a panel of international judges: Julio Estrada, Composer and Research Professor, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico; Robert Morris, Composer and Research Professor of Music, Eastman School of Music; and Barbara Rettagliati, Composer and Professor of Composition, Conservatorio Statale di Musica “Luigi Cherubini”, Florence, Italy. Performance of the composition selected by the judges will be at the 2009 Composers’ Symposium.

The Robb Trust underwrites a Robb Graduate Music Assistantship to support the preservation and improvement of the John Donald Robb Archive of Southwestern Music and the Robb manuscript collection at the Center for Southwest Research. In addition to Robb’s field recordings of Hispanic and Southwestern folk songs, the collections include Robb’s personal papers, photographs, scores and performances, and recordings of Southwestern music from more than 40 other researchers. The UNM Robb Trust also offers small grants for projects that advance its mission.

Mission

The Mission of the Trust, in collaboration with UNM, is to support the music and musical legacy of John Donald Robb, to further his inspiring commitment to education, and to advance the understanding of music of the Southwest.

Vision

The Robb Trust in partnership with composers, performing artists, educators, students, and audiences, will enhance the legacy of Dean Robb by preserving the traditions of Southwest Folk Music, promoting the music of John Donald Robb, and supporting the composition of contemporary music.

Educational Outreach

Educational Outreach for the UNM John Donald Robb Musical Trust, established in 1989 to advance Robb’s musical legacy and his commitment to education and the music of the Southwest, is focused on offering scholars, students, and the general public the opportunity to explore and study folk music of the Southwest and the music and legacy of John Donald Robb, as well as the dissemination of the results to new audiences. The UNM Robb Trust encourages and develops programs and materials that help to spread information about the legacy and music of John Robb. Concerts, lectures, archival preservation, graduate assistantships, collaborations with performers, presenters, community institutions, and artists, as well as enabling access to the folk and manuscript archive housed at the UNM Libraries’ Center for Southwest Research are avenues used to share resources.

Since its inception, the Trust has supported the editing and arranging of Robb’s original compositions with a goal of creating a library of Robb compositions that represent his best work, exhibit his breadth as a composer, and are ready for performance. A growing library of ready for performance works includes music for a variety of vocal and instrumental combinations for all ability levels. The Trust has assembled a library of high quality recordings of Robb’s work, other composers, and folk music of the Southwest.

The Trust supports and coordinates performances of Robb’s music and the work of other composers by encouraging performances in venues throughout the country and through the annual UNM John Donald Robb Composers’ Symposium. Each spring, the Composers’ Symposium brings composers from around the world while also showcasing the work of UNM student and faculty composers and allowing students to have interaction with internationally recognized living composers.

The Robb Trust underwrites a Robb Graduate Music Assistantship to support the preservation and improvement of the John Donald Robb Archive of Southwestern Music and the Robb manuscript collection at the Center for Southwest Research. In addition to Robb’s field recordings of Hispanic and Southwestern folk songs, the collections include Robb’s personal papers, photographs, scores and performances, and recordings of Southwestern music from more than 40 other researchers. The UNM Robb Trust supports the editing, arrangement, performance and recording of Robb’s original compositions, as well as the work of other composers. The UNM Robb Trust also offers small grants for projects that advance its mission.

In the tradition of John D. Robb, the Trust encourages new compositions through the UNM Robb Trust Biennial Composers’ Competition which involves international judges, and a $3,500 cash award for the winning composition. The competition focuses upon Dean Robb’s legacy by requiring entries to be based upon themes of Hispanic folk songs from the Robb Archives at the Center for Southwest Research in the UNM Zimmerman Library.

Activities

Since 1989, the Trust has supported:

• the editing of many of Robb’s compositions
• the publication of a revised edition (2008) of his book, Hispanic Folk Songs of New Mexico, by UNM Press
• performances of his and other composers’ work at the UNM John Donald Robb Composers’ Symposiums and other national and regional venues
• a national biennial Composers’ Competition
• a scholarship for the study and performance of Robb’s piano work
• a graduate assistant position linked to UNM’s Center for Southwest Research and the UNM College of Fine Arts
• professional CD recordings of Robb compositions (Link to CD page)
• a documentary, “The Musical Adventures of John Donald Robb in New Mexico” in KNME-TV-5’s prestigious “Colores” series
• a comprehensive exhibit celebrating the life and work of Robb at Zimmerman Library
• an interactive Website in collaboration with KNME-TV-5, New Mexico’s PBS affiliate, and many other projects

See our Events page for a list of upcoming events.

Board of Directors

The membership of the UNM Robb Trust Board of Directors consists of:

• Dean of the College of Fine Arts
• Dean of the UNM Libraries
• Director of the UNM Libraries Center for Southwest Research
• Chair of the Department of Music
• Two representatives of the Robb and McDonnell Families
• President of the UNM Foundation (serving ex officio)
• at least five or more at-large members of the business and professional community necessary to constitute a majority of the Board as determined by the Trust Board
• Honorary members as deemed appropriate