BIOGRAPHY

Hailed by Odenwälder Zeitung Press (Germany) as “a brilliant conductor” who “formally lived with the music”, American conductor Robert Trocina is lauded for his “innovative approach to programming” and “deep commitment to education of musicians of all ages” by ArtsATL.
Robert Trocina has served as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra since 2006, and as Music Director of the Georgia Ballet since 2019. He serves as Executive Director of the New School of Music, an institution he co-founded 1997. After an acclaimed guest conducting engagement, Trocina was appointed Artistic Director and Conductor of the Atlanta Community Symphony Orchestra in 2024. Additionally, he is Music Director of 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.
As Music Director of Northeast Atlanta Ballet for 14 seasons, Trocina conducted over 150 classical ballet productions including Prokofiev’s Cinderella, Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, among others, until the Covid-19 pandemic officially ended the orchestra’s run with NEAB. He made his Opera debut as Guest Conductor of Capitol City Opera, where he conducted acclaimed performances of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Mozart’s The Impreserio.
Trocina’s international engagements include serving as Principal Guest Conductor of the Starkenburg Philharmoniker in Germany, where he conducted on the prestigious Neujahrskonzerts Series in 2018 and 2019. He conducted the Chernivtsi Symphony Orchestra in Ukraine, where he performed American masterworks such as Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring and Rodeo. A “Keenan Institute at the Wilson Center” article published in 2022 described Trocina’s 2019 Ukraine performance of Rodeo as a “joyous abandon,” offering a “sharp contrast to the suffering of the pandemic and the war to follow” He led the Bad Vilbeler Kammerorchester in Frankfurt, Germany, conducting a restoration project of Hindemith’s 1921 silent film score Im Kampf mit dem Berg. And he returned to the orchestra in 2024 where he conducted works by Tchaikovsky, Mahler, and Vaughan Williams.
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 commitment to youth education, Trocina has played a pivotal role in shaping the musical landscape of the greater Atlanta area. Since co-founding the New School of Music in 1997, he has served as its Executive Director, overseeing the education of approximately 1,200 students across five campuses. From 1997 to 2006, Trocina served as Music Director of the Gwinnett Children’s and Youth Orchestras. In 2007, he spearheaded the rebranding of the youth orchestra, transforming it into the Gwinnett Symphony Youth Orchestra (GSYO) and integrating it within the larger Gwinnett Symphony organization. This strategic shift created new opportunities for collaboration between GSYO musicians and GSO members, culminating in the annual “Side-by-Side” concert. Trocina founded the Rising Star Concerto Competition, offering young musicians the unique opportunity to perform alongside the Gwinnett Symphony for seven successful seasons.
Under Trocina’s Artistic Direction, Gwinnett Symphony has flourished, growing to encompass a diverse array of ensembles, including the Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Symphony Chorus, Chamber Singers, Wind Orchestra, Jazz Orchestra, and Youth Orchestra, serving the varied musical interests of the Gwinnett community. He launched a cooperative initiative bringing winners of the International Conductors Workshop and Competition to guest conduct Gwinnett Symphony. To date, more than 15 conductors have participated in this initiative. Trocina’s contributions at Gwinnett Symphony extend beyond education and performance. He organized a benefit concert for Ukraine, raising over $20,000 for humanitarian efforts during the conflict. He also partnered with the Gwinnett Symphony Chorus for a DCINY performance of René Clausen’s Memorial at Lincoln Center in New York, commemorating the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Known for his commitment to contemporary music, Trocina has curated world premieres such as Songs of Awe and Wonder by Andrew Webb-Mitchell (with the composer traveling from China for the occasion) and José 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 has served as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra since 2006, and as Music Director of the Georgia Ballet since 2019. He serves as Executive Director of the New School of Music, an institution he co-founded 1997. After an acclaimed guest conducting engagement, Trocina was appointed Artistic Director and Conductor of the Atlanta Community Symphony Orchestra in 2024. Additionally, he is Music Director of 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.
As Music Director of Northeast Atlanta Ballet for 14 seasons, Trocina conducted over 150 classical ballet productions including Prokofiev’s Cinderella, Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, among others, until the Covid-19 pandemic officially ended the orchestra’s run with NEAB. He made his Opera debut as Guest Conductor of Capitol City Opera, where he conducted acclaimed performances of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Mozart’s The Impreserio.
Trocina’s international engagements include serving as Principal Guest Conductor of the Starkenburg Philharmoniker in Germany, where he conducted on the prestigious Neujahrskonzerts Series in 2018 and 2019. He conducted the Chernivtsi Symphony Orchestra in Ukraine, where he performed American masterworks such as Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring and Rodeo. A “Keenan Institute at the Wilson Center” article published in 2022 described Trocina’s 2019 Ukraine performance of Rodeo as a “joyous abandon,” offering a “sharp contrast to the suffering of the pandemic and the war to follow” He led the Bad Vilbeler Kammerorchester in Frankfurt, Germany, conducting a restoration project of Hindemith’s 1921 silent film score Im Kampf mit dem Berg. And he returned to the orchestra in 2024 where he conducted works by Tchaikovsky, Mahler, and Vaughan Williams.
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 commitment to youth education, Trocina has played a pivotal role in shaping the musical landscape of the greater Atlanta area. Since co-founding the New School of Music in 1997, he has served as its Executive Director, overseeing the education of approximately 1,200 students across five campuses. From 1997 to 2006, Trocina served as Music Director of the Gwinnett Children’s and Youth Orchestras. In 2007, he spearheaded the rebranding of the youth orchestra, transforming it into the Gwinnett Symphony Youth Orchestra (GSYO) and integrating it within the larger Gwinnett Symphony organization. This strategic shift created new opportunities for collaboration between GSYO musicians and GSO members, culminating in the annual “Side-by-Side” concert. Trocina founded the Rising Star Concerto Competition, offering young musicians the unique opportunity to perform alongside the Gwinnett Symphony for seven successful seasons.
Under Trocina’s Artistic Direction, Gwinnett Symphony has flourished, growing to encompass a diverse array of ensembles, including the Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Symphony Chorus, Chamber Singers, Wind Orchestra, Jazz Orchestra, and Youth Orchestra, serving the varied musical interests of the Gwinnett community. He launched a cooperative initiative bringing winners of the International Conductors Workshop and Competition to guest conduct Gwinnett Symphony. To date, more than 15 conductors have participated in this initiative. Trocina’s contributions at Gwinnett Symphony extend beyond education and performance. He organized a benefit concert for Ukraine, raising over $20,000 for humanitarian efforts during the conflict. He also partnered with the Gwinnett Symphony Chorus for a DCINY performance of René Clausen’s Memorial at Lincoln Center in New York, commemorating the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Known for his commitment to contemporary music, Trocina has curated world premieres such as Songs of Awe and Wonder by Andrew Webb-Mitchell (with the composer traveling from China for the occasion) and José 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.