2026 Season

Robert Dora - Chief Conductor

Known as much for his compelling conducting as for his highly dynamic repertoire programming and advocacy for Australian works, Robert’s concert performances include a huge range of symphonic orchestral and vocal repertoire, regularly including performances with acclaimed national and international composers and soloists. Robert is currently the chief conductor of 5 orchestras of semi-professional and community standard and has regularly guest conducted many ensembles throughout Victoria (such as the Habeas Chorus, the La Trobe University Choral Society, and the Zelman Symphony Orchestra). He has received acclaim from top industry professionals for conducting performances of orchestral masterworks, and is also a commissioned symphonic composer, music educator, and music competition adjudicator. 

The ensembles that Robert is currently the chief conductor of are the Australasian Orchestra, the Monash Medical Orchestra, the Surrey Hills Orchestra, and the ANGO Rad Youth Orchestra. He has been the chief conductor of the Melbourne Lawyers Orchestra from its inception in 2014, and while that orchestra is currently on hiatus it is hoped that it will resume sometime in the not too distant future.

For extended periods, Robert was previously the Chief or primary conductor of the Monash University Choral Society, the Monash Chorale, the Dandenong Ranges Orchestra, and the Preston Symphony Orchestra. He has taken great delight in nurturing and developing the collective ensemble abilities and performance capacities of each ensemble he has worked with, including the various choirs and orchestras that he has given workshops to.

Educationally, Robert has given workshops to various community and education organisation choirs and orchestras in both Victoria and New South Wales, has lectured in conducting at Monash University, and tutored conducting elsewhere (including at the University of Melbourne, under the late John Hopkins). He has also privately taught violin and (formerly) classical voice for many years, currently offers conducting and music theory private tuition, and is known for giving quality performances, compelling conducting, dynamic repertoire programming, nurturing and developing orchestras of a wide variety of standards and ages, and delivering performances that are highly emotive.

Robert’s concert performances include a vast range of symphonic, orchestral and vocal repertoire, regularly including performances with acclaimed national and international composers and soloists, from Tony Gould, to Ji Won Kim (MSO), to Christian Li. He has been fortunate to receive critical acclaim from top industry professionals for performances of orchestral masterworks Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, Tchaikovsky Symphonies #4 to #6, and of Shostakovich‘s epic Symphony No. 11 (“The Year 1905”). Robert is also a commissioned symphonic composer, a music competition adjudicator (2021 – ), and has professionally orchestra managed, including at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl for the internationally touring Synthony.

In 2025 he has co-founded and launched the Youth Ensembles program for the Australian New Goldberg Orchestra (ANGO), in November 2025 he will proudly conduct the Australian Premiere of Nil’s Lindberg’s Requiem for BottledSnail Productions, and in 2026 he will conduct more world premieres with the Australasian Orchestra and conduct the Prize Winners Concert for the East West Arts Association’s 9th Melbourne Pacific Piano Open Competition.

www.robertdora.com