Robert Honstein

Robert Honstein

Clinical Assistant Professor; Composition (Concert Music), Program Director

Music and Performing Arts Professions

rsh7@nyu.edu
Website

Celebrated for his “waves of colorful sounds” (New York Times) and “smart, appealing works” (The New Yorker), Robert Honstein (b. 1980) is a New York-based composer of orchestral, chamber, vocal, and film music. He was appointed Clinical Assistant Professor of Music at NYU Steinhardt in 2025 and holds degrees from Yale School of Music (MMA and DMA, Composition), University of Texas, Austin (MM, Composition), and Yale University (BA, Music).

Ensembles and performers that have commissioned Robert include the Albany Symphony, Dayton Philharmonic, Eighth Blackbird, Hub New Music, New Morse Code, The Living Earth Show, Ensemble Connect (Carnegie Hall), Mivos Quartet, No Exit New Music, Duo Vis, cellist Ashley Bathgate, pianist Karl Larson, and violinist Kate Stenberg. Prolific in the percussion world, he has collaborated with TIGUE, The Vibraphone Project, Arx Duo, The Up:Strike Project, Colin Currie, Doug Perkins, and Michael Burritt. His music has been programmed by the National Ballet of Canada, BalletCollective, and the Alberta, Cincinnati, and Orlando Ballets. Interdisciplinary collaborators include choreographer Omar Román De Jesús, photographer Chris McCaw, projection designer Hannah Wasileski, and graphic designer Laura Grey. With six complete albums and numerous compilations, his music has been released by Cedille, New Amsterdam, New Focus Recordings, Neuma, and Other Minds.

He previously served as Composition Faculty/Program Manager (2017-2022) and Program Director of Concert Composition (2022-2025) at NYU Steinhardt. Recent accolades include the Andrew Imbrie Award (2023) from the American Academy of Arts & Letters and an Emmy-nomination for his film score The Real Charlie Chaplin (2022). As an educator Robert teaches composition seminars and workshops around the globe, including residencies at University of Texas, Austin, Eastman School of Music, and Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. He has received funding from the Barlow Endowment and New Music USA, with fellowships at Copland House, MacDowell Colony, and Avaloch Farm.

Programs

Concert Composition

Whether writing for orchestra or collaborating with choreographers, video artists and technologists, you can develop and expand your creative practice with dynamic peers, high level performers, and world-class faculty.

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Courses

Composers Forum

Students attend weekly presentations from composers, and concerts. Composer guests introduce the students to their aesthetic world by discussing, analyzing, and playing recordings of some of their most relevant works. Students will have the opportunity to network with a diverse range of visiting composers, which will help them to create contacts for their professional development. Some of the classes include attending concerts in which works from living composers are featured, including NYU students and faculty.
Course #
MPATC-GE 2424
Credits
0 - 3
Department
Music and Performing Arts Professions

Composer’s Forum

Students attend weekly presentations from composers, and concerts. Composer guests introduce students to their aesthetic world by discussing, analyzing, and playing recordings of some of their most relevant works. Students have the opportunity to network with a diverse range of visiting composers, which helps them create contacts for their professional development. Some of the classes
include attending concerts in which works from living composers are featured, including NYU students and faculty.
Course #
MPATC-UE 1424
Credits
0 - 3
Department
Music and Performing Arts Professions

Private Composition Lessons

Composition in all forms and styles including electronic. Electronic laboratory by assignment. Weekly attendance at department Composer's Forum required.
Course #
MPATC-GE 2321
Credits
1 - 3
Department
Music and Performing Arts Professions

Seminar in Composition: String Quartet I

This is the first of a two-seminar sequence that provides analytical and practical approaches to composition for the string quartet. Over the course of two semesters students write a progressive series of studies starting with a solo, followed by a duo, trio and finally a full quartet. Professional musicians workshop these pieces in class, culminating in a concert by a guest quartet in residence. Interwoven with these workshops students analyze and discuss contemporary quartet repertoire from the past 50 years.
Course #
MPATC-GE 2027
Credits
2
Department
Music and Performing Arts Professions

Seminar in Composition: String Quartet II

This is the second of a two-seminar sequence that provides both analytical and practical approaches to composition for the string quartet. This seminar includes workshops and performances of a full composition for String Quartet as well as student presentations on selected contemporary quartet repertoire.
Course #
MPATC-GE 2028
Credits
2
Department
Music and Performing Arts Professions