TrocinaRobert Trocina Co-Founder & Director
Recognized by Frankfurter Neue Press (Germany) as an “energetic conductor with great charisma”, American conductor Robert Trocina is lauded for his “innovative approach to programming” and “deep commitment to musicians and audiences of all ages” by ArtsATL.
Robert Trocina is co-founder and director of New School of Music since its inception in 1997. Trocina has been Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra since 2006, and Music Director of the Georgia Ballet since 2019. He was appointed as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Atlanta Community Symphony Orchestra in 2024. He also holds the position of Music Director for the Korean American Symphony Orchestra, a "friendship orchestra" known for its celebratory concerts in Georgia and Alabama that mark significant milestones in the South Korea-United States alliance.
Apart from his current roles, Trocina maintains a vibrant international presence. He notably served as Principal Guest Conductor with the Starkenburg Philharmoniker in Germany, conducting performances on the esteemed Neujahrskonzerts Series in 2018 and 2019. Just prior to the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian War, Trocina served as Guest Conductor of the Chernivtsi Symphony Orchestra in Ukraine where he conducted American masterworks including Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring and Rodeo suites. In an article published in 2022 by the Keenan Institute at the Wilson Center regarding the impact of the war on the arts, “Chernivtsi Philharmonic in Shelters”, the author stated “The joyous abandon of Aaron Copland’s Rodeo, captured in a stellar April 2019 performance under the baton of Robert Trocina, recalls a world now lost. His choice of Copland's music offered a sharp contrast to the suffering of the pandemic and the war to follow". In 2022, Trocina served as Guest Conductor for Bad Vilbeler Kammerorchester in Frankfurt, Germany, where he conducted a restoration project performance of Hindemith’s 1921 silent film score "Im Kampf mit dem Berg” bringing new insights into the history of silent film. He made a return engagement with the orchestra in 2024 where he conducted a concert featuring the music of Tchaikovsky, Mahler, and Vaughan Williams.
During his 14-year tenure as Music Director of the Northeast Atlanta Ballet, Trocina led the orchestra in over 150 classical ballet productions, such as Prokofiev’s Cinderella, Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker until the Covid-19 pandemic brought an end to the orchestra’s run with NEAB. Trocina marked his opera debut as Guest Conductor of Capitol City Opera, earning acclaim for his performances of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Mozart’s The Impresario. Deeply rooted in the Atlanta arts scene, Trocina has served as Guest Conductor for a variety of ensembles, including the Atlanta Philharmonic Orchestra, Atlanta Musicians Orchestra, and Atlanta Community Symphony Orchestra, as well as holding the position of Associate Conductor with the Atlanta Wind Symphony from 1998 to 2003. He recently served as Guest Conductor of West Virginia State Philharmonic Orchestra, and his work has involved productions in theaters and on stages across the United States, as well as Canada, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ukraine and Sweden.
With a lifelong dedication to youth education, Trocina serves as the Executive Director of New School of Music, an institution he co-founded in 1997. In this leadership position, he oversees the musical education of approximately 1200 students across five campuses. Trocina served as Music Director for the Gwinnett Children's and Youth Orchestras from 1997 to 2006. His vision led to the rebranding of the youth orchestra in 2007 as the Gwinnett Symphony Youth Orchestra, consolidating it within the Gwinnett Symphony organization. This strategic decision provided increased collaboration opportunities between GSYO musicians and GSO members, culminating in an annual "Side-by-Side" concert. Additionally, Trocina was influential in establishing the Rising Star Concerto Competition, a platform that showcased competition winners alongside the Gwinnett Symphony for seven successful seasons. In 2016, he launched a cooperative initiative, enabling Gwinnett Symphony to host the victors of the International Conductors Workshop and Competition as Guest Conductors of the orchestra. To date GSO has hosted over 15 winners. Under his Artistic Direction, Gwinnett Symphony has flourished to include a diverse range of musical ensembles catering to all walks of life in the Gwinnett community. Noteworthy achievements include organizing a benefit concert for Ukraine, which raised over $20,000 to aid humanitarian efforts during the conflict, and partnering Gwinnett Symphony Chorus on a DCINY performance of Rene Clausen's Memorial at Lincoln Center in New York on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Trocina is acclaimed for curating concerts featuring world premiere performances such as Andrew Webb-Mitchell's Songs of Awe and Wonder, which attracted the composer from China, and Jose Manuel Garcia's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra.
Born in New Jersey and raised in the vibrant Atlanta arts community, Trocina's journey into classical music began at the age of 9 when he started playing the trumpet. Throughout his formative years, he delved deep into all aspects of music. Trocina is a graduate of the Bailey School of Music at Kennesaw State University and received further musical training at Georgia State University where, after initially studying trumpet, he went on to study orchestral conducting. He continued orchestral conducting studies under the direction of Patricio Cobos and William Fred Scott and has recently discovered new inspiration and motivation under the mentorship of maestro Philip Greenberg. He is a member of the International Conductor’s Guild, The League of American Orchestras, and the Georgia Music Educators Association. He currently lives in Buford, GA with his partner of 26 years and his Westie and Scottie dogs. Enjoying life on the water, He enjoys spending quality time with family and friends boating on Lake Lanier, GA, and at his condo in Panama City Beach, FL. More information, including Trocina's repertoire list, concert archives, and press materials, can be found at RobertTrocina.com
Robert Trocina is co-founder and director of New School of Music since its inception in 1997. Trocina has been Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra since 2006, and Music Director of the Georgia Ballet since 2019. He was appointed as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Atlanta Community Symphony Orchestra in 2024. He also holds the position of Music Director for the Korean American Symphony Orchestra, a "friendship orchestra" known for its celebratory concerts in Georgia and Alabama that mark significant milestones in the South Korea-United States alliance.
Apart from his current roles, Trocina maintains a vibrant international presence. He notably served as Principal Guest Conductor with the Starkenburg Philharmoniker in Germany, conducting performances on the esteemed Neujahrskonzerts Series in 2018 and 2019. Just prior to the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian War, Trocina served as Guest Conductor of the Chernivtsi Symphony Orchestra in Ukraine where he conducted American masterworks including Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring and Rodeo suites. In an article published in 2022 by the Keenan Institute at the Wilson Center regarding the impact of the war on the arts, “Chernivtsi Philharmonic in Shelters”, the author stated “The joyous abandon of Aaron Copland’s Rodeo, captured in a stellar April 2019 performance under the baton of Robert Trocina, recalls a world now lost. His choice of Copland's music offered a sharp contrast to the suffering of the pandemic and the war to follow". In 2022, Trocina served as Guest Conductor for Bad Vilbeler Kammerorchester in Frankfurt, Germany, where he conducted a restoration project performance of Hindemith’s 1921 silent film score "Im Kampf mit dem Berg” bringing new insights into the history of silent film. He made a return engagement with the orchestra in 2024 where he conducted a concert featuring the music of Tchaikovsky, Mahler, and Vaughan Williams.
During his 14-year tenure as Music Director of the Northeast Atlanta Ballet, Trocina led the orchestra in over 150 classical ballet productions, such as Prokofiev’s Cinderella, Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker until the Covid-19 pandemic brought an end to the orchestra’s run with NEAB. Trocina marked his opera debut as Guest Conductor of Capitol City Opera, earning acclaim for his performances of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Mozart’s The Impresario. Deeply rooted in the Atlanta arts scene, Trocina has served as Guest Conductor for a variety of ensembles, including the Atlanta Philharmonic Orchestra, Atlanta Musicians Orchestra, and Atlanta Community Symphony Orchestra, as well as holding the position of Associate Conductor with the Atlanta Wind Symphony from 1998 to 2003. He recently served as Guest Conductor of West Virginia State Philharmonic Orchestra, and his work has involved productions in theaters and on stages across the United States, as well as Canada, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ukraine and Sweden.
With a lifelong dedication to youth education, Trocina serves as the Executive Director of New School of Music, an institution he co-founded in 1997. In this leadership position, he oversees the musical education of approximately 1200 students across five campuses. Trocina served as Music Director for the Gwinnett Children's and Youth Orchestras from 1997 to 2006. His vision led to the rebranding of the youth orchestra in 2007 as the Gwinnett Symphony Youth Orchestra, consolidating it within the Gwinnett Symphony organization. This strategic decision provided increased collaboration opportunities between GSYO musicians and GSO members, culminating in an annual "Side-by-Side" concert. Additionally, Trocina was influential in establishing the Rising Star Concerto Competition, a platform that showcased competition winners alongside the Gwinnett Symphony for seven successful seasons. In 2016, he launched a cooperative initiative, enabling Gwinnett Symphony to host the victors of the International Conductors Workshop and Competition as Guest Conductors of the orchestra. To date GSO has hosted over 15 winners. Under his Artistic Direction, Gwinnett Symphony has flourished to include a diverse range of musical ensembles catering to all walks of life in the Gwinnett community. Noteworthy achievements include organizing a benefit concert for Ukraine, which raised over $20,000 to aid humanitarian efforts during the conflict, and partnering Gwinnett Symphony Chorus on a DCINY performance of Rene Clausen's Memorial at Lincoln Center in New York on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Trocina is acclaimed for curating concerts featuring world premiere performances such as Andrew Webb-Mitchell's Songs of Awe and Wonder, which attracted the composer from China, and Jose Manuel Garcia's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra.
Born in New Jersey and raised in the vibrant Atlanta arts community, Trocina's journey into classical music began at the age of 9 when he started playing the trumpet. Throughout his formative years, he delved deep into all aspects of music. Trocina is a graduate of the Bailey School of Music at Kennesaw State University and received further musical training at Georgia State University where, after initially studying trumpet, he went on to study orchestral conducting. He continued orchestral conducting studies under the direction of Patricio Cobos and William Fred Scott and has recently discovered new inspiration and motivation under the mentorship of maestro Philip Greenberg. He is a member of the International Conductor’s Guild, The League of American Orchestras, and the Georgia Music Educators Association. He currently lives in Buford, GA with his partner of 26 years and his Westie and Scottie dogs. Enjoying life on the water, He enjoys spending quality time with family and friends boating on Lake Lanier, GA, and at his condo in Panama City Beach, FL. More information, including Trocina's repertoire list, concert archives, and press materials, can be found at RobertTrocina.com