Robert Martin, Director

Robert Luke Martin is an internationally recognized conductor, organist, orchestrator, and concert producer, who strives to create exciting programming that introduces new audiences to the concert hall.

As a conductor, Robert has served as both Music Director and Executive Director of the Irish Video Game Orchestra (Belfast, Northern Ireland), an organization he started while studying at Queen’s University Belfast. A group of musicians dedicated to introducing unreached audience through video game music, the IVGO has performed concerts described as “one of the most entertaining musical evenings I’ve experienced.” (Chris Hastings, Queen’s Radio) Prior to the IVGO, Robert was the Founding Music Director of the Houghton Pops Orchestra (Houghton, NY), where he wrote and produced two Celtic themed stage productions, “Hearts of the Highlands” and “Hearts of the Highlands II: A Song to Remember.” Most recently, Robert has just finished his tenure as Founding Director of the Studio Orchestra of Long Beach, an ensemble of young professional musicians focused on updating the pops orchestra repertoire to include modern media and concert music.

As an organist, Robert has held numerous positions both within the United States, and abroad. Past posts have included Belmont United Methodist Church (Belmont, NY), Montgomery United Methodist Church (Damascus, MD), Fisherwick Presbyterian Church (Belfast, NI), Otterbein United Methodist Church (Hagerstown, MD), and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (Downey, CA). Currently, Robert is serving as Director of Worship & Music at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Fairfax, VA.

Robert has received degrees from Houghton College (B.Mus. in Organ), Queen’s University Belfast (MA in Arts Management), and the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University Long Beach (M.Mus. in Instrumental Conducting), and has studied with Dr. Judy Congdon (organ), Gary Stith, John Carnahan, Dr. Jermie Arnold, and Dr. Donald Brinegar (conducting).