# Robert Wendel

Robert Wendel (born in 1951) is an American contemporary classical composer. He has guest-conducted many of the major symphony orchestras in America, including the Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Minnesota, Baltimore, Atlanta, Cincinnati, and Dallas Symphony orchestras, and has toured the U.S. and Europe as conductor for Harry Connick Jr., culminating in the PBS special "Romance From Paris" and a concert for the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway.

## Biography

Robert Wendel was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1951. He attended the University of Connecticut, where he double-majored in chemistry and music and studied with Hale Smith and took private lessons with Leroy Anderson. He served as an assistant conductor of the University of Connecticut Symphony and the New Britain Symphony. After receiving his Master of Arts degree, Wendel worked in musical theatre for several years before moving to New York City, where he became an orchestra member and stand-by conductor at Radio City Music Hall, conducting and arranging for Carol Channing.
Wendel’s work has been played or featured at concerts and memorials, such as the annual Flint Symphony Orchestra Holiday Pops telecast on WJRT-TV 12 every December since 2001; at a memorial concert for the Challenger astronauts at the Kennedy Space Center; at a concert to honor the The Tuskegee Airmen and World War 2 veterans; at the 2006 National Memorial Day Concert honoring the opening of the National World War II Memorial and telecast live nationwide on PBS; in 2009, as part of the Abraham Lincoln tribute; in 2011 for Colin Powell's's homecoming welcome to U.S. troops on the National Mall; and again in 2017 to salute the The Tuskegee Airmen and World War 2 veterans. He has also written for "Cirque de la Symphonie."

## Awards and recognition

In December 2014, Robert Wendel was awarded The American Prize Judge's Special Citation for "Music for Use. Well Crafted, Accessible and Performance-Ready." In 2015, Wendel received The American Prize as one of five "Honored Artists".

## List of works
### Orchestral

* "Fanfare For Freedom" (1994)
** Premiered by the Atlanta Symphony
* "The Tall Ships" (1999)
** Premiered by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
* "Commemoration" (2000)
** Broadcast premiere by the National Symphony Orchestra
* "Parade of the Percussionists" (2000)
** Premiered by the Hilo Philharmonic
* "Ride of the Headless Horseman" (2001) - from "A Halloween Trilogy"
** Premiered by The Queensland Symphony Orchestra
* "Take Flight" (2003)
** Premiered by the Columbus Symphony Orchestra
* "The Pit and the Pendulum" (2004) - from "A Halloween Trilogy"
** Premiered by the Chicago Civic Symphony
* "Towers of Light" (2006)
** Premiered by The Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra
** Named a finalist in the first "American Prize" in Orchestral Composition
* "Trick Or Treat" (2006) - from "A Halloween Trilogy"
** Premiered by the Hilton Head Orchestra
* "Meditation" (2008)
** Premiered by the University of Wyoming Symphony
* "Fanfare: Welcome Home" (2010)
** Premiered by the Gulf Coast Symphony
* "Caribbean Sleigh Ride" (2010)
** Premiered by The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
* "The Wolf Was Framed!" (2011)
** Premiered by the Cherokee Symphony, Lee Thorson conductor.
* "The Poltergeist Polka" (2011)
** Premiered by the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra
* "The Nativity Bells" (After Byrd) (2013)
** Premiered by The Atlanta Symphony

### Vocal

* "Christmas Through Children's Eyes" (2001)
** Lyrics by Vince Trani
* "Santa Dear" (2002)
** Lyrics by Vince Trani and Robert Wendel
* "The Bells of Christmas" (2003)
** Lyrics by Vince Trani
* "Virginia, 1861" (2011) - For the sesquicentennial of the Civil War.
** for S.A.T.B. choir, boys choir and orchestra from texts by Melville, and Joyce.
* "It Wouldn't Be Christmas Without you" (2011)
** Lyrics by Vince Trani
** Premiered by the Arkansas Symphony
* "This Is Chanukah" (2013)
** Co-Premiered by The Philly Pops and The University of Wyoming Symphony and chorus.
** Named a finalist for the 2014 "American Prize for Choral Composition."
* "Holiday Greetings" (2014)
** Premiered by David Charles Abell conducting The Philly Pops, Festival Chorus, and Philadelphia Boys Choir.
** Named a finalist for the 2015 "American Prize in Choral Composition."
* "Ring Out Bells, Ring!" (2017)
** Premiered by Jeffrey R. Smith conducting The Philly Pops and Philadelphia Boys Choir.

### Arrangements

* "The Armed Forces March" (1998)
* "April Fool Concerto" (1994/2002)
* "Back to the Fifties" (1999)
* "Bali il Tarantella" (2009)
* "Baroque Festival Overture" (2007)
* "The Best Christmas of All" (1997)
* "Carol of the Bells" (1998)
* "Chanukah Overture" (1995)
* "Christmas a la Valse!" (1995)
* "Coventry Carol" (1995)
* "An Evergreen Christmas" (2000)
* "Fiesta Mexicana" (1991)
* "The Flintstones Meets The Jetsons" (1994)
* "From Sea To Shining Sea" (1993/1995)
* "A George M. Cohan Overture." (1994)
* "Good King Wenceslas (After Tchaikovsky 6th Symphony) (2018)
* "In The Manger" (1998)
* "An Irish Trilogy" (1998)
* "Jingle Fourth" (1990) - From "A Classical Christmas Suite"
* "Jonny Quest March" (2005)
* "Little Bolero Boy" (1990) - From "A Classical Christmas Suite" Also known as The Little Drummer Boy (Bolero)
* "A Merry Christmas Sing-Along" (2012)
* "Meditation" (2006)
* "An Old Fashioned Summer" (1998)
* "The Orange Blossom Special" (1996)
* "Orfeo's Rockatta" (2001)
* "The Original Ragtime Band" (1995)
* "O Holy Night (After Massenet - Thais)" - (2017)
* "Overture to a Merry Christmas" (1990) - From "A Classical Christmas Suite"
* "Protest And Hope" (1997)
* "Raymond Scott Music" (1993–1997)
** Includes "Powerhouse, Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals, Huckleberry Duck, The Penguin, The Toy Trumpet, Twilight in Turkey." Available through G. Schirmer
* "Rock Around The Clock" (1995)
* "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (2000)
* "Saint Bailey's Rag" (1991)
* "The Saint Louis Blues" (1994)
* "The Smurf's March" (2005)
* "A Stephen Foster Overture" (1992)
* "Still, Still, Still" (2010)
* "Surf's Up!" (1993)
* "Swing Ludwig, Swing!" (1999)
* "That's It, That's All... The End!" (2004)
* "Under The Big Top" (2006)
* "Viva Puccini" (1997)
* "We Need A Little Christmas" (1996)
* "We Three Kings..." (1990) - From "A Classical Christmas Suite"
* "When TV Was Young" (1999)

## Discography

* American Reflections Catalog No: RWM001
* Christmas Old And New Catalog No: RWM002
* Christmastime Is Here Telarc - "Little Bolero Boy" and "We Need A Little Christmas"
* Commemoration ABC - Catalog No:4767929
* Christmas a la Valse Houston Symphony Society - Catalog No: B0000EI98P