Robert Blocker

Robert Blocker (born September 4, 1946) is an American classical pianist, music educator, and university administrator, who served as Dean of the Yale School of Music since July 1995 until 2023. He is a Steinway artist.

Education Blocker earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Furman University in 1968. He earned graduate degrees — Master of Music in 1970 and Doctor of Musical Arts in 1972 — from the University of North Texas College of Music, where he studied with eminent American pianist Richard Brannan Cass (1931–2009), an alumnus of Furman and Juilliard and 1953 Fulbright Scholar to the National School of Music of Paris where he had studied with Nadia Boulanger. In 1986, while serving as dean at Baylor, Blocker was a fellow at the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard in 1986.

Honorary degrees 2014 — Doctor of Music, University of South Carolina 2006 — Professor of Piano, Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing 2003 — Doctor of Music, Converse College 1995 — Master of Arts, Yale University 1992 — Doctor of Humanities, Furman University

Honors & awards Elm-Ivy Award, Yale University, April 2008 Founder's Award, PORTALS, The Hotchkiss School President’s Citation for Extraordinary Service, University of North Texas, 2005 Honorary Professor of Piano, Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing, 2004 Elected Member, The Grolier Club, New York City, a society for bibliophiles, 2003 Yale Tercentennial Medal recipient, 2001 Featured in Steinway and Sons film commemorating 300th anniversary of the piano, 2000 Distinguished Alumni Award, Furman University, 1999 Order of the Palmetto, 1999 (highest distinction of service awarded by the state of South Carolina) Outstanding Professor, Baylor University, 1986 Artist-in-Residence, South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts & Humanities, 1985 Teaching Excellence Award Grant, Stephen F. Austin State University, 1980 Artist Teacher, National Piano Foundation, 1980–1981 Artist Roster, Texas Commission on the Arts, 1978–1981 Artist Faculty, Brevard Music Center, 1974–1976 Outstanding Teacher Award, Brevard College, 1975 Texas State Doctoral Fellowship, 1970–1972 Outstanding Doctoral Candidate, University of North Texas College of Music, 1972 Outstanding Masters Candidate, University of North Texas College of Music, 1970 Rotary Scholar, 1964–1968 Presser Scholar, 1964–1968

Selected publications

Selected discography

Mozart, Piano Concertos Nos. 12, 13, and 14, Naxos Records (2010) Recorded May 14–16, 2007, Morse Recital Hall, Sprague Hall, The School of Music, Yale University Blocker, piano; Biava Quartet

Beethoven, Piano Concerto No. 3, Credia Classics (S. Korea) (2002) Recorded live, July 12, 2002, Beethoven Festival, Woosong Arts Center, Daejon, South Korea Blocker, piano Daejon Philharmonic, Shinik Hahm, conductor

Family & growing up Blocker is a graduate of the St. Andrews Parish High School, which as since merged with West Ashley High School in the Charleston County School District of South Carolina. He was president of the Charleston County Student Council and is a member of the St. Andrews Parish High School Hall of Fame.