Desserts & Discussion: 25 Years of Baroque on Beaver

About Robert Nordling

Robert Nordling’s conducting has been characterized as “emphatic”, “dramatic”, and “vivid” with a “fresh and airy quality and a certain elegance” (San Francisco Chronicle). Robert serves as the Music Director of the Baroque on Beaver Island Music Festival (Northern Michigan) the Shoreline Music Society (Michigan) and as Music Director Emeritus of the Bandung Philharmonic Orchestra (Indonesia). Nordling has commissioned composer Eric Malmquist to write a piece for the 2024 Baroque on Beaver Island Season. Nordling’s commitment to new music is evidenced by his commissioning and premiering over 20 new works since 2016.

A sought-out clinician and educator, Robert performs orchestra clinics, music educational workshops and master classes in schools in the USA and abroad. He led the Bandung Philharmonic Conducting Fellows program which trains young Indonesian conductors in Master Classes and performance from 2015 – 2023. He has also served on the music faculty of the Calvin University Music Department and Trinity International University where he conducted the orchestras and taught in the areas of music history, music appreciation and conducting.

 A native of New Jersey, Robert began his early studies on violin with Stephen Clapp and Paul Zukovsky. Following his undergraduate study at the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, he was awarded conducting fellowships to the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute where he worked with Leonard Bernstein, Michael Tilson Thomas, Herbert Blomstedt and Erich Leinsdorf. He also received conducting fellowships from the Oregon Bach Festival to work with Helmuth Rilling and the Cedardell Opera Festival to work with Boris Goldovsky.

About the Beaver Island Performing Arts Alliance

Each summer from the last weekend of July through the first weekend of August, the Baroque on Beaver Festival presents world-class orchestral, chamber, and vocal performances on the most remote inhabited island of the Great Lakes. In 2026, the festival celebrates 25 years of bringing classical music to Beaver Island. Baroque on Beaver is the signature event of the Beaver Island Performing Arts Alliance (BIPAA).

“The Beaver Island Performing Arts Alliance produces the Baroque on Beaver Festival and promotes the performing arts with its partners to enrich the greater Beaver Island community.”

Beyond our signature annual event, the Baroque on Beaver Festival, the BIPAA strives to engage with the BI community broadly and in multiple types of artistic presentations with both summer-season and year-round arts programming. Additional 2026 events include the Beaver Island Jazz Series in association with the BIC Center and WVBI, and a Christmas Concert in association with the BIC Center.  Learn more at www.baroqueonbeaver.org/bipaa.