Robert Istad

Dr. Robert Istad, a Grammy Award-winning conductor who “fashions fluent and sumptuous readings” (Voice of OC) with his “phenomenal” artistry (Los Angeles Times), is Professor, Director of Choral Studies at California State University, Fullerton and Artistic Director of Pacific Chorale. He was recognized as CSUF’s 2016 Outstanding Professor of the Year.  At CSU Fullerton, Istad conducts the University Singers and manages CSUF’s large graduate choral conducting program. Recently, he and the University Singers performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Andrea Bocelli, Jennifer Hudson, Kathleen Battle, the Eagles, and recorded albums with Yarlung Records and with composer John Williams and Sony Classical.  
 
Under his leadership, Pacific Chorale continues to expand its reputation for excellence for delivering fresh, thought-provoking interpretations of beloved masterworks, rarely performed gems and newly commissioned pieces. In July 2023, he led Pacific Chorale’s first international tour in seven years, conducting performances at leading venues in Austria, Germany and the United Kingdom. His artistic impact can be heard on three recent recordings featuring Pacific Chorale, including the 2022 Grammy Award-winning “Mahler’s Eighth Symphony” with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Gustavo Dudamel on Deutsche Grammophon (2021), for which he prepared the chorus. It won Best Choral Performance and also garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Engineered Album, Classical. Additionally, Istad prepared Pacific Chorale for Pacific Symphony’s commercial recording of Sir James MacMillan’s “Fiat Lux” released on Tonsehen Records (2024), and conducted the Pacific Chorale’s recording “All Things Common: The Music of Tarik O’Regan” released on Yarlung Records (2020). He regularly conducts and collaborates with Pacific Symphony, Berkshire Choral International, and Yarlung Records. His extensive credits also include recording for Sony Classical and guest conducting Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, Bach Collegium San Diego, Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, Bath Philharmonia, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Tesserae Baroque, and Freies Landesorchester Bayern. Istad has prepared choruses for such renowned conductors as Gustavo Dudamel, Carl St.Clair, Esa-Pekka Salonen, John Williams, John Mauceri, Keith Lockhart, Nicholas McGegan, Vasilly Sinaisky, Sir Andrew Davis, Bramwell Tovey, Carl St.Clair, Eugene Kohn, Giancarlo Guerrero, Marin Alsop, George Fenton, and Robert Moody.
 
Istad and the University Singers travel throughout the world and have presented concert tours of Rwanda & South Africa (2024), Australia (2022), Spain (2019), and Scandinavia, the Baltics and Russia (2017). They have performed at numerous regional and national ACDA conferences including the 2024, 2018, and 2012 ACDA Western Division Conferences and the 2013 ACDA National Conference. They also performed for the 2013 National Collegiate Choral Organization National Conference.  Other highlights include a 2015 residency and performances in Paris, France, engagements at the 2012 Ottobeuren and Eingen Festivals of Music in Germany, a 2010 performance for UNESCO in Pisa, Italy, and a 2008 performance at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary.
 
Istad received his Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, his Master of Music degree in choral conducting from California State University, Fullerton and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral music at the University of Southern California. He studied conducting with Dr. William Dehning, John Alexander and Dr. Jon Hurty. Istad, who is on the Executive Board of Directors of Chorus America and serves as Dean of Chorus America’s Conducting Academy, is in demand as guest conductor, lecturer, and clinician.