FY23 Annual Report: Sparking Bold Change
The University of New Mexico
John Donald Robb Musical Trust
TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS
Robert Lucero, Jr.
John Donald Robb was a visionary, an innovator, a trail blazer. And so, we look to his example. The John Donald Robb Musical Trust is firmly committed to improving the lives of New Mexicans and beyond through the rich legacy of John Donald Robb and through the edifying power of music. That’s no small task, and it was made considerably more difficult by a global pandemic and some of the most destructive forest fires in New Mexico’s history.
Despite these challenges, the Trust completed one of our most impactful years in our 33-year history. Last year we partnered with the National Hispanic Cultural Center to deliver educational outreach programs to underserved students from Dolores Gonzales Elementary, and to music students at the Public Academy of Performing Arts and Albuquerque Academy. We sought to narrow the income disparity gap by presenting all performances and educational outreach programming free of charge and by live streaming many of our events, which allowed us to reach audiences around the world. We continued to address racial inequality by diversifying our leadership to reflect the unique demographics of New Mexico, one of the few ‘minority majority’ states in the US, and to celebrate the traditional northern New Mexico Spanish culture, which was adversely impacted by the Calf Canyon / Hermits Peak fire. And much more.
Our progress on these challenging issues is made possible, in large part, by the powerful partnerships we have forged over the years. We have joined forces with our generous donor, The Mr. and Mrs. Sanford N. McDonnell Foundation, and other nonprofits such as the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Chatter, and the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John, as well as our steadfast partners at UNM’s College of Fine Arts, Department of Music, and the Center for Southwest Research, to magnify our collective impact. We could not do what we do without the support of our many generous donors, our grantees, and volunteers all of whom share a desire to serve our community and advocate for positive change. To all our valued partners, we express our profound gratitude for all you do.
I have had the privilege of working closely with the Trust’s exceptional team. Its senior leadership and staff are second to none. They are enormously talented, hard-working, and caring. On behalf of an appreciative board of directors, I want to thank everyone for their efforts in promoting the legacy of John Donald Robb and for making the world a better place for us all through the extraordinary healing power of music.
Robert Lucero, Jr.
Chair, UNM John Donald Robb Musical Trust
Despite these challenges, the Trust completed one of our most impactful years in our 33-year history. Last year we partnered with the National Hispanic Cultural Center to deliver educational outreach programs to underserved students from Dolores Gonzales Elementary, and to music students at the Public Academy of Performing Arts and Albuquerque Academy. We sought to narrow the income disparity gap by presenting all performances and educational outreach programming free of charge and by live streaming many of our events, which allowed us to reach audiences around the world. We continued to address racial inequality by diversifying our leadership to reflect the unique demographics of New Mexico, one of the few ‘minority majority’ states in the US, and to celebrate the traditional northern New Mexico Spanish culture, which was adversely impacted by the Calf Canyon / Hermits Peak fire. And much more.
Our progress on these challenging issues is made possible, in large part, by the powerful partnerships we have forged over the years. We have joined forces with our generous donor, The Mr. and Mrs. Sanford N. McDonnell Foundation, and other nonprofits such as the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Chatter, and the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John, as well as our steadfast partners at UNM’s College of Fine Arts, Department of Music, and the Center for Southwest Research, to magnify our collective impact. We could not do what we do without the support of our many generous donors, our grantees, and volunteers all of whom share a desire to serve our community and advocate for positive change. To all our valued partners, we express our profound gratitude for all you do.
I have had the privilege of working closely with the Trust’s exceptional team. Its senior leadership and staff are second to none. They are enormously talented, hard-working, and caring. On behalf of an appreciative board of directors, I want to thank everyone for their efforts in promoting the legacy of John Donald Robb and for making the world a better place for us all through the extraordinary healing power of music.
Robert Lucero, Jr.
Chair, UNM John Donald Robb Musical Trust
JOHN DONALD ROBB
Robb with electronics c.1965
John Donald Robb (1892-1989) led a rich and varied life as a lawyer, composer, electronic music pioneer, arts educator, author and folk-song collector. He began composing classical music during his years as a successful New York lawyer, writing across classical-music genres, and continued that passion when he moved to New Mexico in 1941 to join the Department of Music faculty at the University of New Mexico (UNM). Robb served as dean of the UNM College of Fine Arts from 1942 to 1957 and was responsible for starting the UNM Symphony and many other educational initiatives. His numerous contributions to the state’s cultural heritage stretch from music education to preserving Hispanic folk music.
Robb’s fascination with Hispanic folk music led him to collect 3,000 field recordings of traditional songs and dances from the American Southwest, Central and South America and Nepal. These songs, now easily accessed digitally through the UNM Libraries' Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections (CWSR), form the nucleus of the John Donald Robb Archives, which is housed in the CSWR.
Later in life, he was one of the early owners of a Moog Synthesizer and composed a body of work for that ground-breaking instrument. Here is a dance performance from the 2013 John Donald Robb Composer's Symposium featuring Robb's electronic work Cosmic Dance of Shiva with choreography by lisa nevada, a Robb Trust board member living in New York City.
Robb’s fascination with Hispanic folk music led him to collect 3,000 field recordings of traditional songs and dances from the American Southwest, Central and South America and Nepal. These songs, now easily accessed digitally through the UNM Libraries' Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections (CWSR), form the nucleus of the John Donald Robb Archives, which is housed in the CSWR.
Later in life, he was one of the early owners of a Moog Synthesizer and composed a body of work for that ground-breaking instrument. Here is a dance performance from the 2013 John Donald Robb Composer's Symposium featuring Robb's electronic work Cosmic Dance of Shiva with choreography by lisa nevada, a Robb Trust board member living in New York City.
Dancers are Camille Duran, Emily Innis, Kaitlin Innis, Dalton Valerio. Lighting design is by Sydnie Ponic and Harrison Sim. Cosmic Dance of Shiva is one of Robb's 65 landmark electronic compositions. It was originally released in 1976, in the infancy of the electronic music revolution, and reissued in 2004 by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
John Donald Robb never stopped learning, he never stopped composing, and he never stopped sharing his lifetime’s work.
John Donald Robb never stopped learning, he never stopped composing, and he never stopped sharing his lifetime’s work.
THE TRUST
The John Donald Robb Musical Trust at the University of New Mexico was created in 1989 following the deaths of John Donald Robb and his wife, Harriet. The University of New Mexico and the UNM Foundation established, in a Memorandum of Agreement, creation of the John Donald Robb Trust Board of Directors. The board is responsible for carrying out the responsibilities assigned by the Last Will and Testaments of John Donald Robb and Harriet B. Robb and to assume authority over the affairs of the Trust that could otherwise be the responsibility of the University and the Foundation.
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.
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.
Objectives
- support the study, editing, performance, production, and/or publishing of the music of John Donald Robb and Hispanic Folk Music of the Southwest;
- encourage and select new compositions in the spirit of the Robb legacy by supporting master classes, workshops, guest artist performances, the annual UNM John Donald Robb Composers’ Symposium, the biennial UNM John Donald Robb Composers’ Competition, and other activities as appropriate;
- offer graduate assistantships and scholarship(s) for students who are committed to the study of music and whose duties support the activities of the Trust Board of Directors;
- cooperate with the UNM Libraries’ Center for Southwest Research and support the preservation and maintenance of the John Donald Robb Archives of Southwestern Music and Robb’s papers; and,
- enlist volunteers and encourage involvement in the UNM Robb Trust and participation in such other activities in the support of the Trust as the Trust Board of Directors may deem appropriate.
BYLAWS
The University of New Mexico John Donald Robb Musical Trust bylaws were adopted August 3, 1993 and last amended October 7, 2013.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The Robb Trust is extensively involved in the greater community. The year, 2022, saw programs return to the stage, as restrictions from the Covid-19 pandemic began to lessen. Most programs and meetings were held hybrid, which allowed people to attend at their comfort level, either in person, masked, socially distanced or through video streaming. Video streaming continues to prove beneficial, as it allows the Trust to reach a global audience.
Below are highlights of the Trust’s 2022 activities:
Below are highlights of the Trust’s 2022 activities:
Robb New Music Series
Jeffrey Brooks
The Robb New Music Series (RNMS) is the newest addition to the Trust’s annual programming. The series was launched in the fall of 2022. The RNMS is an outcropping of the celebrated annual John Donald Robb Composers' Symposium. The series features concerts of new music by guest artists and UNM faculty and students, as well as masterclasses and workshops.
One of the highlights of the 2022-23 RNMS was the world premiere of Fantasia on Themes by Robb for unaccompanied clarinet arranged by the Trust’s graduate assistant, Christopher Orphal. The work received its world premiere performance on February 12, 2023. Jeffrey Brooks, professor of clarinet at the University of New Mexico, performed, as a collaboration with the UNM Faculty Spotlight Concert Series, at UNM’s Keller Hall.
One of the highlights of the 2022-23 RNMS was the world premiere of Fantasia on Themes by Robb for unaccompanied clarinet arranged by the Trust’s graduate assistant, Christopher Orphal. The work received its world premiere performance on February 12, 2023. Jeffrey Brooks, professor of clarinet at the University of New Mexico, performed, as a collaboration with the UNM Faculty Spotlight Concert Series, at UNM’s Keller Hall.
Composers' Symposium
The UNM Robb Trust promotes the exploration of new music through the internationally acclaimed UNM John Donald Robb Composers' Symposium, in cooperation with UNM College of Fine Arts and Department of Music. The annual event takes place every spring on the UNM campus. Since 1972, the symposium has brought composers and musicians from around the world to UNM for a series of public concerts and unique learning opportunities for UNM students. Past guest composers have included such luminaries as Anthony Braxton, John Cage, Lukas Foss, Michael Colgrass, Gordon Mumma, and Chen Yi.
The year, 2022, marked the Symposium's 50th anniversary with three days of performances, masterclasses, lectures and recording sessions, along with performances in collaboration with Chatter, an Albuquerque music venue.
Below is a video teaser created by the Trust's graduate assistant, Chris Orphal. The audio features "Fire" (from Elements) by composer Katerina Gimon and is performed by the UNM Concert Choir, directed by David Edmonds. The teaser was part of the Symposium's social media campaign.
The year, 2022, marked the Symposium's 50th anniversary with three days of performances, masterclasses, lectures and recording sessions, along with performances in collaboration with Chatter, an Albuquerque music venue.
Below is a video teaser created by the Trust's graduate assistant, Chris Orphal. The audio features "Fire" (from Elements) by composer Katerina Gimon and is performed by the UNM Concert Choir, directed by David Edmonds. The teaser was part of the Symposium's social media campaign.
Featured composers:
- William Duckworth Time Curve Preludes (excerpts)
- Peter Gilbert Piano Sonata “New Scenes from an Old World” (American premiere)
- Doug Falk I Wear An Artichoke Heart for a Hat
- Jude Harb Jabberwocky
- Morgan Ifversen Children's Fun Fact Science Corner
- Sourena Sefati Human Beings
- Thomas Ropp Nevermore
- Gabe Gonzales Fumiko/Yukio (mov. I)
- David McGuire Yet Dish
- Patricia Ann Repar .breathing.bones.mobile.mind.
- Jeffrey Gavett Waves
- Anthony Braxton Composition No. #255 (+ 245)
- Neely Bruce Four Geographical Preludes
- Scott Wilkinson Prelude
- Patricia Alessandrini Etude n.1 bis (d’aprés Scarlatti)
- Louis W Ballard Four American Indian Piano Preludes
- Raven Chacon Nilchi’ Shada’ ji Nalaghali
- Michael Begay Adéihozhdilzin (Know who you are)
- Connor Chee Navajo Vocable n.1 - 4 - 5 - 9
- Monica Demarco Dulce and the Doorway in the Sky; Katzimo; Green Meteor Shower in Gallup; Flight of the Stone Lion
- Frederic Rzewski Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues
- Patricia Alessandrini Hear (world premiere)
- Chris Orphal Poi si tornò a l'etterna fontana (world premiere)
- Peter Gilbert As the waters began to rise
- José-Luis Hurtado All the names
- Karola Obermüller mass:distance:time
- Charlope Mundy SWEET FLAG!
- Stephanie Ann Boyd Aurora
- Julia Gomelskaya the hint only
- Richard Cameron-Wolfe Code of Unsilence: A Prayer
- Juanito Becenti Divertimento no. 5 “Melodrama”
- Katerina Gimon "Fire" (from Elements)
- William Wood selections from Clarinet Set
- Steven Block selections from Five Plainchants
- Chris Shultis centenary fragment
- Michael Mauldin Canyon Light: 4 Scenes for Woodwind Quintet
- Nadia Boulanger Chanson; Cantique
- John Donald Robb Psalm 23; Psalm 104; Tears; I Am Very Old Tonight; 7 Songs for Voice and Piano, Opus 6b; 5 Songs, Op. 36
Visiting Artists:
Featured performers:
- UNM Concert Choir and UNM Las Cantantes directed by Dr. David Edmonds
- Kevin Vigneau oboe
- Scott Jacobsen collaborative pianist
- Steve Higbee clarinet
- Hee Sook Kim video artist
- Chatter: Jesse Tatum flute, James Shields clarinet, Megan Holland violin, James Holland cello, Jeff Cornelius percussion
- UNM Enchantment Winds: James Walter flute, Natalia Valladares Salgado oboe, Sam McClung clarinet, Daniel Yim bassoon, Sarah Schwenke horn, Denise Reig-Turner faculty coach
- James Flora tenor
- Olga Perez Flora mezzo-soprano
- Kristin Ditlow collaborative pianist
Below is a livestream of the Robb Concert, which took place April 10 on the UNM Campus.
Robb Commission
In 2004, the UNM Robb Trust began a sponsorship of the creation of newly composed chamber works in honor of John Donald Robb that use music from Robb's unique collection of folk music recordings. For the first 10 years, the John Donald Robb Composers' Competition solicited compositions rooted in music from the archive, and prize winners were selected. In 2016, the Trust moved to commissioning works based upon music from the archive, and changed the name to the Robb Commission. The Trust is proud of the growing legacy of remarkable new works connected with Dean Robb’s historically significant folk music collection.
Patricia Alesssandrini
The 2022 Robb Commission was awarded to Patricia Alessandrini. Alessandrini is a composer, sound artist, educator and researcher actively engaging with notions of representation, perception and memory, often in a social and political context, through work which is for the most part interactive and/or intermedial. Her works have been presented in numerous festivals, in the Americas, Asia, Australia and in more than 15 European countries. She has also toured extensively as a performer of live electronics. She studied composition with electronics at the Conservatorio di Bologna and Ircam, holds a diploma in composition from the Conservatoire de Strasbourg, a Ph.D. from Princeton University and a second Ph.D. from the Sonic Arts Research Centre.
Ekmeles
Alessandrini's new work, Hear, for vocal sextet and trombone, received its world premiere by Ekmeles during the 2022 John Donald Robb Composers' Symposium at the beautiful Episcopal Cathedral of St. John in downtown Albuquerque. Ekmeles is a New York-based vocal ensemble dedicated to the performance of new and rarely heard works and gems of the historical avant-garde. With a special focus on microtonal works, they have been praised by the New York Times for their "extraordinary sense of pitch."
Robb's Compositions Available for Performance
The Trust oversees arrangements and edits of Robb’s compositions, which form an extensive library of performance-ready works available to musicians worldwide at no cost. Pictured left is an example of a new cataloguing system launched in 2022. Each title will include a score preview and midi audio.
¡Música del Corazón!
¡Música del Corazón! is an annual celebration of the regional folk traditions of New Mexico. Its purpose is to bring awareness to John Donald Robb’s extensive field recordings, which are archived at the UNM Libraries' Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections (CSWR). The program for the 2022 concert was titled Baroque Fandangos of New Spain and Historic Fandangos of New Mexico; the John Donald Robb, Jr. Memorial Concert. The performance took place on November 13 at the National Hispanic Cultural Center and was free to the public. More than 300 people attended.
Below is a Música video teaser featuring voiceover by Enrique Lamadrid with visuals produced by Chris Orphal.
Below is a Música video teaser featuring voiceover by Enrique Lamadrid with visuals produced by Chris Orphal.
Enrique Lamadrid, Ph.D. (Robb Trust Honorary Board member and Robb Award recipient) served as guest curator. He and Brenda Romero, Ph.D. gave a pre-concert talk titled, “Baroque, Folk Baroque, and Fandango in New Mexico.” The talk was followed by a dance lesson led by Alex Manzanares and Ballet Folklórico Santa Fe, during which audience members were brought to the stage to learn a traditional New Mexico Spanish dance.
The first act of the concert featured Fandangos Barrocos from New Spain with Noe Garcia Jacinto playing Baroque and Spanish guitar and Carlos Menchaca, choreographer and dancer. The second act featured Fandangos Nuevomexicanos with Lone Piñon, Orquesta Típica Nuevo México and Ballet Folklórico Santa Fe.
Below is a video of Lone Piñon and Ballet Folklórico Santa Fe performing "El Taleán" a revitalization of a traditional Northern New Mexico song and dance, with new choreography by Alex Manzanares. The dance had been taught to the ensemble by Reyes and Cordelia García of Pecos, New Mexico. The musical arrangement was based on a 1954 recording of unnamed musicians (possibly Lucid Ortiz of Cañoncito, NM).
Ballet Folklórico Santa Fe: Ali Esmeralda, Marin Jared Santos, Ivanna Hernandez, Miquela García, Vanessa Anaya, Lucia Martinez, Ivan Avila, Jose Monge, Alex Manzanares. Lone Piñon: Tanya Nuñez - upright bass, Santiago Romero - guitar, Jordan Wax - violin, Karina Wilson - violin.
Recorded by Dennis Jasso, Fw Studios, Santa Fe. Mixed by Marc Whitmore. Videography by Jordan and Mark Wax. Editing by Jordan Wax. Made possible by partial funding from the National Rio Grande Heritage Area. Filmed at El Rancho de las Golondrinas in La Ciénega, New Mexico, August 2022.
"El Taleán" is one of the numbers the combined ensembles performed during the 2023 Música celebration.
The first act of the concert featured Fandangos Barrocos from New Spain with Noe Garcia Jacinto playing Baroque and Spanish guitar and Carlos Menchaca, choreographer and dancer. The second act featured Fandangos Nuevomexicanos with Lone Piñon, Orquesta Típica Nuevo México and Ballet Folklórico Santa Fe.
Below is a video of Lone Piñon and Ballet Folklórico Santa Fe performing "El Taleán" a revitalization of a traditional Northern New Mexico song and dance, with new choreography by Alex Manzanares. The dance had been taught to the ensemble by Reyes and Cordelia García of Pecos, New Mexico. The musical arrangement was based on a 1954 recording of unnamed musicians (possibly Lucid Ortiz of Cañoncito, NM).
Ballet Folklórico Santa Fe: Ali Esmeralda, Marin Jared Santos, Ivanna Hernandez, Miquela García, Vanessa Anaya, Lucia Martinez, Ivan Avila, Jose Monge, Alex Manzanares. Lone Piñon: Tanya Nuñez - upright bass, Santiago Romero - guitar, Jordan Wax - violin, Karina Wilson - violin.
Recorded by Dennis Jasso, Fw Studios, Santa Fe. Mixed by Marc Whitmore. Videography by Jordan and Mark Wax. Editing by Jordan Wax. Made possible by partial funding from the National Rio Grande Heritage Area. Filmed at El Rancho de las Golondrinas in La Ciénega, New Mexico, August 2022.
"El Taleán" is one of the numbers the combined ensembles performed during the 2023 Música celebration.
Robb Award
Robert Lucero and Noberta Fresquez
Noberta Fresquez was the recipient of the 2022 Robb Award for Excellence in Southwestern Music. The award was presented on stage at the 2022 ¡Música del Corazón! concert by Robert Lucero, Jr., chair of the Robb Trust.
Noberta Fresquez, co-founder and past executive director of Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque, is recognized locally, nationally and internationally for her expertise in cultural entertainment and programming. She is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the New Mexico Hispano Music Association, the Mark Ipiotis Award from the New Mexico Hispano Entertainers Association, the Creative Bravo Award, the De Colores Award for excellence in cultural education programming and the New Mexico Music Commission's Platinum Music Award for lifetime achievement. She has also been recognized by the New Mexico State Board of Education for her outstanding work in delivering Mariachi music education to public school children in the state. In 2010, she was recognized by the New Mexico Business Weekly as one of that year’s 25 influential Women of New Mexico. In 2011, Noberta received El Premio Ohtli, one of the highest awards the Mexican government gives to non-Mexican citizens for promoting that country’s culture. She also received the New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award from then-Governor Susana Martinez.
Noberta Fresquez, co-founder and past executive director of Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque, is recognized locally, nationally and internationally for her expertise in cultural entertainment and programming. She is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the New Mexico Hispano Music Association, the Mark Ipiotis Award from the New Mexico Hispano Entertainers Association, the Creative Bravo Award, the De Colores Award for excellence in cultural education programming and the New Mexico Music Commission's Platinum Music Award for lifetime achievement. She has also been recognized by the New Mexico State Board of Education for her outstanding work in delivering Mariachi music education to public school children in the state. In 2010, she was recognized by the New Mexico Business Weekly as one of that year’s 25 influential Women of New Mexico. In 2011, Noberta received El Premio Ohtli, one of the highest awards the Mexican government gives to non-Mexican citizens for promoting that country’s culture. She also received the New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award from then-Governor Susana Martinez.
Educational Outreach
Ballet Folklórico Santa Fe dance lesson with Dolores Gonzales Elementary students
Each year the Trust delivers informances to local schools. In addition to performance demonstrations and student participation exercises, educational outreach events typically incorporate a history and ethnomusicology component focusing on traditional New Mexico Spanish culture.
In conjunction with the 2022 ¡Música del Corazón! concert, Rosalía Pacheco, Ph.D., NHCC’s education program manager and newest member of the Robb Trust Board of Directors, produced an educational outreach program at the NHCC, which was attended by students from nearby schools and livestreamed on the NHCC Facebook page.
2022 Música del Corazon Ed Outreach Programs
In conjunction with the 2022 ¡Música del Corazón! concert, Rosalía Pacheco, Ph.D., NHCC’s education program manager and newest member of the Robb Trust Board of Directors, produced an educational outreach program at the NHCC, which was attended by students from nearby schools and livestreamed on the NHCC Facebook page.
2022 Música del Corazon Ed Outreach Programs
- November 9 – Alex Manzanares and Ballet Folklórico Santa Fe at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. The event was attended by the public and students from Dolores Gonzales Elementary. It was also livestreamed on the National Hispanic Cultural Center's Facebook page and mirrored on the Robb Trust's Facebook page.
November 10 – Noe Garcia Jacinto, Spanish and Baroque guitarist, at the Public Academy of Performing Arts. The event was attended by guitar students of Fabián Sisneros and Mark Opperman.
November 11 – Noe Garcia Jacinto, Spanish and Baroque guitarist, at Albuquerque Academy. The event was attended by guitar students of Genevieve Leitner and Jeremy Maine.
Graduate Assistantship
Chris Orphal
The John Donald Robb Graduate Assistantship was established in 2000. Primary duties include preservation and improvement of the John Donald Robb Field Recordings and the John Donald Robb Papers collection at the University Libraries’ Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections, as well as assisting with Robb Trust programming, primarily the John Donald Robb Composers’ Symposium, the Robb Commission, and ¡Música del Corazón!. The assistantship is open to qualified students pursuing a master’s degree in music or music education at the University of New Mexico.
Christopher Orphal is a master's candidate in music theory and composition at UNM. The music he composes has been described by listeners as “sounds produced and organized in a structured way,” and “the bare minimum.” Christopher’s oeuvre is characterized stylistically through a seeming incapability of composing anything which doesn’t feature some sort of stringed instrument. His compositional interests usually center on the dimension of harmony, which has led him recently into the harmonically expanded area of microtonal systems. Christopher’s works have been premiered in several well-respected venues, including his old high school and his mother’s living room.
Below is a performance of Poi si tornò a l'etterna fontana by Chris Orphal, performed by Ekmeles during the 2022 John Donald Robb Composers' Symposium.
Christopher Orphal is a master's candidate in music theory and composition at UNM. The music he composes has been described by listeners as “sounds produced and organized in a structured way,” and “the bare minimum.” Christopher’s oeuvre is characterized stylistically through a seeming incapability of composing anything which doesn’t feature some sort of stringed instrument. His compositional interests usually center on the dimension of harmony, which has led him recently into the harmonically expanded area of microtonal systems. Christopher’s works have been premiered in several well-respected venues, including his old high school and his mother’s living room.
Below is a performance of Poi si tornò a l'etterna fontana by Chris Orphal, performed by Ekmeles during the 2022 John Donald Robb Composers' Symposium.
Underwriting
Lone Piñon is the 2022 recipient of Robb Trust underwriting for its project, Música de los Manitos. As part of their work for the Trust, the group’s members delivered a workshop with dancers from baile folklorico and flamenco backgrounds, in which Reyes and Cordelia García (Pecos, New Mexico) and Lucy Salazar (Cañoncito, New Mexico) led participants through the entire repertoire of Northern New Mexico figure dances, with a focus on two endangered forms (el taleán and las cuadrillas). The Música de los Manitos series served evacuees from communities affected by the Calf Canyon/ Hermits Peak fire.
Santiago Romero, Tanya Núñez, Jordan Wax, Karina Wilson are Lone Piñon
Lone Piñon is a New Mexican string band, or orquesta típica, whose music celebrates the integrity and diversity of the region's cultural roots. With fiddles, upright bass, guitars, accordions, vihuela, and bilingual vocals, the musicians play a wide spectrum of the traditional music that is at home in New Mexico. Visit their website.
Below is a video excerpt of the first installment in Lone Piñon's Música de los Manitos series. In this video, Lucy Salazar, Reyes Garcia, and Cordelia Garcia lead young dancers from Ballet Folklórico Santa Fe in "La Cuna", a traditional figure dance of Northern New Mexican bailes and fandangos. Lone Piñon accompanies the dancing with a cuna from the repertoire of Mariano Romero and Los Villeros Alegres de Santa Fe.
Website
The Robb Trust website, robbtrust.org, was recently reorganized and upgraded with new graphics, images, embedded PDF documents, and videos that can be viewed directly at the website, as opposed to migrating to YouTube to view. The site features up-to-date information on the Trust’s signature programs and archives historical information for those programs.
robbtrust.org's updated homepage as of 1 February 2023
Social Media
The Trust has social media accounts on the following platforms: Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram. The Instagram account was newly created in 2022.
The Trust’s Facebook page is the most active of its social media accounts. A new Robb Trust Facebook page was created in February 2022. The new page currently has a total of 517 likes and 597 followers. The previous page had a total of 418 likes and 195 followers.
The Trust's new Facebook page header
The new page reaches an average of 1,500 people every 28 days, excluding boosted posts. Boosted posts (i.e., paid advertising) have proven successful in reaching upwards of 12,000 people per post. Boosted posts during 2022 relayed information about the Composers' Symposium and the ¡Música del Corazón! concert.
56.10% of the Trust's Facebook page audience identify as male and 43.90% female. Age demographics are fairly evenly split between multiple age groups, as seen below:
Facebook audience demographics by Age and Gender
The Trust's Facebook page reaches a global audience. For the time period from mid-January to mid-February 2023, here are the top ten locations of people viewing the Trust's page:
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By Country
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By City
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The top non-boosted post for the 90-day period, from mid-November 2022 to mid-February 2023, is an announcement for the UNM Mariachi Ensemble's fall recital at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. The post reached 1,309 people. The Robb Trust underwrites the UNM Mariachi Program, as part of its general mission to support the music and musical legacy of John Donald Robb, advance the understanding of music of the Southwest, and further Robb's commitment to education.
Top Facebook post
MEMBERSHIP
As outlined in the Trust's bylaws, membership of the UNM Robb Trust Board of Directors shall consist of:
- Dean of the UNM College of Fine Arts
- Dean of the UNM Libraries
- Director of the UNM Libraries Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections
- Chair of the UNM 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
Board of Directors
- Ana Alonso-Minutti, Ph.D. UNM Associate Professor of Musicology
- James Bonnell Madden Hosea & Associates Retired CAO
- Peter Gilbert, Ph.D. UNM Associate Professor of Theory & Composition
- Nancy Harbert Retired Freelance Journalist
- Michael Hix, D.M. UNM Department of Music Chair
- Leo Lo, EdD, MLIS UNM Libraries Dean
- Robert Lucero, Jr. Lucero Law, P.C.; UNM Mariachi Director
- Robbin MacVittie McDonnell Family Representative
- Margie Montañez, Ph.D. UNM Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections Latin American Collections Curator
- lisa nevada Choreographer, Educator, Dance-Artist
- Karola Obermüller, Ph.D. UNM Associate Professor of Theory & Composition
- Rosalía Pacheco, Ph.D. National Hispanic Cultural Center Education Program Manager
- Kristine Purrington UNM College of Fine Arts Senior Director of Development, UNM Foundation Representative
- Ellen Robb Robb Family Representative
- Art Sheinberg UNM Music Instructor, Composer
- Harris Smith UNM College of Fine Arts Dean
- Robert Tillotson, Ph.D. Harper College Retired Music Chair
- Jeff Todd UNM Foundation President & CEO
- Marc Woodward, CPA Retired
New Board Members
The Robb Trust welcomes three new board members.
Nancy Harbert
Nancy Harbert
Retired writer/editor
Freelance
Nancy Harbert spent a career writing about the people, places and breaking news in New Mexico, initially for publications ranging from the Santa Fe New Mexican to the Albuquerque Journal. As a freelance writer, she reported for Time magazine, produced the alumni magazine for the University of New Mexico School of Law and contributed to a number of local and regional publications. She is the author of New Mexico, a guidebook to the state. Before retiring, she was program specialist for the UNM John Donald Robb Musical Trust.
Nancy joins the Trust's PR / Marketing committee.
Retired writer/editor
Freelance
Nancy Harbert spent a career writing about the people, places and breaking news in New Mexico, initially for publications ranging from the Santa Fe New Mexican to the Albuquerque Journal. As a freelance writer, she reported for Time magazine, produced the alumni magazine for the University of New Mexico School of Law and contributed to a number of local and regional publications. She is the author of New Mexico, a guidebook to the state. Before retiring, she was program specialist for the UNM John Donald Robb Musical Trust.
Nancy joins the Trust's PR / Marketing committee.
Dr. Margie Montañez
Margie Montañez, Ph.D.
Latin American Collections Curator
UNM Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections
Dr. Margie Montañez is an assistant professor in UNM’s College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences where she is the curator of Latin American and US Latinx collections for the Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections. She specializes in Chicano/a literary and cultural history, U.S-Mexico Borderlands, and ethnography. She was a co-leader on a Mellon grant that that worked with cultural heritage centers in Haiti, Jamaica, Colombia, Belize, and Mexico to develop recommendations and equitable practices to enhance cultural engagement with Latin American Collections. The report, “Capacity Assessment of Latin American and Caribbean Partners: Report of Symposium and recommendations” was adopted by the Council on Library and Information Resources and translated into English, French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, and Spanish. She is the co-editor of Dismantling Constructs of Whiteness in Higher Education: Narratives of Resistance from the Academy published with Routledge and formerly served on the ProQuest Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory board.
Margie joins the Trust's Archives / Underwriting committee.
Latin American Collections Curator
UNM Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections
Dr. Margie Montañez is an assistant professor in UNM’s College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences where she is the curator of Latin American and US Latinx collections for the Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections. She specializes in Chicano/a literary and cultural history, U.S-Mexico Borderlands, and ethnography. She was a co-leader on a Mellon grant that that worked with cultural heritage centers in Haiti, Jamaica, Colombia, Belize, and Mexico to develop recommendations and equitable practices to enhance cultural engagement with Latin American Collections. The report, “Capacity Assessment of Latin American and Caribbean Partners: Report of Symposium and recommendations” was adopted by the Council on Library and Information Resources and translated into English, French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, and Spanish. She is the co-editor of Dismantling Constructs of Whiteness in Higher Education: Narratives of Resistance from the Academy published with Routledge and formerly served on the ProQuest Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory board.
Margie joins the Trust's Archives / Underwriting committee.
Dr. Rosalía Pacheco
Rosalía Pacheco, Ph.D.
Education Program Manager
National Hispanic Cultural Center
Rosalía Pacheco received her Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico Department of Special Education. Her work focused on educational equity for students who are culturally and linguistically diverse with and without disabilities. In her dissertation, Issues in Equity for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students with Complex Support Needs: A Comparative Analysis of District-Level Student Data, she examined areas of educational equity related to the identification of students with complex support needs as English learners, access to language assistance programs, and access to instructional settings. Pacheco worked as a Pre-K-12 educator in New Mexico schools for over 11 years, as a clinical supervisor for the UNM Dual License teacher preparation program, and as a presenter and storyteller with organizations including: the New Mexico Humanities Council, Latino Initiatives with the Smithsonian Institution, Artivate, and Hilos Culturales to name a few. As an educator, presenter, and researcher, she weaves in culturally relevant practices and traditions which are especially important for our diverse society. She has taught courses for the UNM Department of Education such as Reading and Diversity II and Teaching Bilingual Multicultural Special Education. She received her B.A. in Mass Communication and Journalism and M.A. in Special Education at the University of New Mexico. She is also an established actor, singer, and storyteller who has performed locally and nationally for over 25 years.
Rosalía joins the Trust's Performance / Education committee.
Education Program Manager
National Hispanic Cultural Center
Rosalía Pacheco received her Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico Department of Special Education. Her work focused on educational equity for students who are culturally and linguistically diverse with and without disabilities. In her dissertation, Issues in Equity for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students with Complex Support Needs: A Comparative Analysis of District-Level Student Data, she examined areas of educational equity related to the identification of students with complex support needs as English learners, access to language assistance programs, and access to instructional settings. Pacheco worked as a Pre-K-12 educator in New Mexico schools for over 11 years, as a clinical supervisor for the UNM Dual License teacher preparation program, and as a presenter and storyteller with organizations including: the New Mexico Humanities Council, Latino Initiatives with the Smithsonian Institution, Artivate, and Hilos Culturales to name a few. As an educator, presenter, and researcher, she weaves in culturally relevant practices and traditions which are especially important for our diverse society. She has taught courses for the UNM Department of Education such as Reading and Diversity II and Teaching Bilingual Multicultural Special Education. She received her B.A. in Mass Communication and Journalism and M.A. in Special Education at the University of New Mexico. She is also an established actor, singer, and storyteller who has performed locally and nationally for over 25 years.
Rosalía joins the Trust's Performance / Education committee.
Committees
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Executive
Archives / Underwriting
Development / Finance
Nominating
Public Relations / Marketing
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Performance / Education
Performance / Education sub-committees: Composers' Symposium 2022
¡Música del Corazón! 2022
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Honorary Board
- Tom Dodson, Ph.D. UNM College of Fine Arts Retired Dean
- Nina Hobbs Choral Instructor Retired, APS Music Consultant
- Belinda Jentzen UNM College of Fine Arts Development Officer Retired
- Michael Kelly Center for Southwest Research Retired Director, UNM Libraries Associate Dean
- Enrique Lamadrid, Ph.D. UNM Spanish/Portuguese Professor Emeritus
- James Linnell, Ph.D. UNM College of Fine Arts Retired Dean
- Martin Mathisen CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP Partner
- Michael Mauldin Composer
- Christopher Mead, Ph.D. UNM College of Fine Arts Retired Dean
- Elsa Menéndez City of Albuquerque Department of Arts & Culture Deputy Director
- Elsie Morosin, Ph.D. UNM College of Nursing, Associate Retired Professor
- Carolyn Mountain UNM Libraries Retired Program Manager
- David Oberg Musician, Conductor
- Christopher Shultis, Ph.D. UNM Department of Music Professor Emeritus
- James (Jim) B. Wright UNM Libraries Professor Emeritus
Honorary Board Remembered
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Administration
- Christopher Orphal Graduate Assistant
- Thomas Goodrich Program Specialist
JOIN THE ROBB TRUST FAMILY
Please support the John Donald Robb Musical Trust Endowment Fund, which supports the Robb Trust's annual programming, educational outreach, graduate student support, and much more. The financial support of the Friends of the Robb Trust and individual donors like you is critical to our success.
Ways to Give
Mr. & Mrs. Sanford N. McDonnell Foundation Matching Endowment
Through a generous gift agreement, the McDonnell Foundation will match donations to the Robb Musical Trust. We invite you to consider a legacy gift that will help ensure the financial future of the Trust.
John Donald Robb, Jr., Memorial Fund
Gifts in memory of John Donald Robb, Jr., a major contributor to the development of the University of New Mexico Robb Musical Trust, may be made be designated to the UNM Robb Musical Trust. Following his parents’ deaths in 1989, Robb guided their wishes to establish a unique endowment at UNM. As the first chairman of the Robb Trust Committee, Robb, Jr. dutifully carried out his parents’ wishes, and in subsequent years served in many other capacities as he influenced the growth of the Robb Musical Trust from a small committee to a fully realized Board of Directors with more than 20 members. He was very active in Trust projects until his death in 2014.
Grandchildren of John Donald Robb Endowed Fund
Thanks to the efforts of John Donald Robb's grandchildren, the Grandchildren of John Donald Robb Endowed Fund was established in 2019. The fund supports the activities of the UNM John Donald Robb Musical Trust.
General Support for UNM Robb Trust Programs and Activities
A donation or legacy gift to the John Donald Robb Musical Trust Endowment Fund at the UNM Foundation will continue to ensure the future of the Trust. Donations also will help increase educational outreach and expand annual programming, such as the Composers' Symposium, the biennial international Robb Commission and the annual John D. Robb, Jr. ¡Música del Corazón! concert at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.
Development
Donations to the John Donald Robb Musical Trust are managed by the UNM Foundation. Their mission is to create powerful engagements and partnerships that lead to philanthropy, investment, innovation, and support for The University of New Mexico. With questions about the fund and ways to give to the Robb Trust, please contact:
Kristine Purrington
Senior Director of Development
UNM College of Fine Arts
UNM Foundation
505.277.7320
[email protected]
Senior Director of Development
UNM College of Fine Arts
UNM Foundation
505.277.7320
[email protected]
CONTACT INFORMATION
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ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION
THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO
JOHN DONALD ROBB MUSICAL TRUST
MSC 04-2570
College of Fine Arts
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
720-319-1326
[email protected]
website | facebook | instagram | linkedin | youtube
JOHN DONALD ROBB MUSICAL TRUST
MSC 04-2570
College of Fine Arts
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
720-319-1326
[email protected]
website | facebook | instagram | linkedin | youtube
2022 John Donald Robb Annual Report edited by Nancy Harbert and Jim Bonnell. UNM Foundation and John Donald Robb Musical Trust Endowment Fund content edited by Kristine Purrington.
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