{{short description|American classical double bass player (born 1952)}} '''Harold Hall ("Hal") Robinson''' (born July 29, 1952<ref name="Birth records">[http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/tx/harris/vitals/births/1952/harrb52p.txt Birth records] of Harris County, Texas</ref>) is an American classical double bass player, formerly the principal bassist of the Philadelphia Orchestra.<ref name="A career with strings attached">[http://www.northeasttimes.com/2005/0317/musician.html "A career with strings attached"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061117182135/http://www.northeasttimes.com/2005/0317/musician.html |date=2006-11-17 }} by Ruth Rovner in the ''Northeast Times'', 17 March 2005</ref>

==Early life and education== Robinson was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Keith Robinson and Dorothe Fowler.<ref name="Birth records"/> Both parents were members of the Houston Symphony Orchestra: his father was the principal bassist, and his mother was a violinist. Hal and all four of his siblings&mdash;cellists Sharon and Keith Jr., and violinists Erica and Kim&mdash;became professional string players with notable careers.<ref name="A career with strings attached"/>

Robinson graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Houston<ref>''Grand Concert'' (program booklet). Houston: Texas Music Educators Association, 1970</ref> and studied bass at Northwestern University and the Peabody Institute.<ref name="A career with strings attached"/> Among his prominent teachers are Warren Benfield (Chicago Symphony), and Paul Ellison (Bass Professor Rice University's Shepherd School of Music, Houston Symphony).

==Musical career== From 1975 to 1977 he held the position of principal bass of the Albuquerque Symphony (now the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.philorch.org/styles/poa02e/www/bios.php?page=robinsonharold |title=Philadelphia Orchestra musician biography |access-date=2007-01-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025105507/http://www.philorch.org/styles/poa02e/www/bios.php?page=robinsonharold |archive-date=2007-10-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and played in the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra. In 1977, he became assistant principal bass of the Houston Symphony Orchestra. During this time he was on the music faculty at the University of Houston.<ref>"University of Houston School of Music presents 'A Festival of Strings' " (program booklet), Houston: University of Houston, 1979</ref> In 1982 Robinson was a prizewinner at the Isle of Man Solo Competition.<ref name="Curtis Institute biography">{{Cite web |url=http://www.curtis.edu/faculty/faculty-bios-by-name/harold-hall-robinson.html |title=Curtis Institute biography |access-date=2012-07-10 |archive-date=2017-10-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016173125/http://www.curtis.edu/faculty/faculty-bios-by-name/harold-hall-robinson.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1985 he was appointed by Mstislav Rostropovich to the position of principal bass of the National Symphony Orchestra, where he performed until 1995, when he assumed posts as principal bass of the Philadelphia Orchestra and a member of the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music. And teaches at the Juilliard School.<ref name="A career with strings attached"/>

Robinson retired from his position in the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2022.<ref>[https://www.curtis.edu/person/harold-hall-robinson/ Harold Hall Robinson]. Curtis Institute of Music. Retrieved 2024-01-10.</ref>

==Solo performances== Robinson has performed as a soloist with the American Chamber Orchestra, the Greenville (South Carolina) Symphony Orchestra, the Houston Pops Orchestra, the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Rhode Island Philharmonic.<ref name="A career with strings attached"/><ref name="Curtis Institute biography"/> He has instructed master classes in several countries. The ''Concerto for Bass, Harp and Strings'' was composed expressly for Robinson by composer and fellow bassist Dave Anderson and was given its premiere by Robinson with the Philadelphia Orchestra.<ref name="A career with strings attached"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Portal|Philadelphia}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Hal}} Category:Living people Category:American classical double-bassists Category:American male double-bassists Category:Classical musicians from Texas Category:University of Houston faculty Category:1952 births Category:Musicians from Houston Category:Musicians from Philadelphia Category:Classical musicians from Pennsylvania Category:21st-century American double-bassists Category:21st-century American male musicians Category:Players of the Philadelphia Orchestra Category:Players of the National Symphony Orchestra Category:Players of the Houston Symphony