Dr. Robert M. Finster

Robert M. Finster is Visiting Lecturer in Liturgical Music for the Academic Year 2011-2012 at Seminary of the Southwest.   As church musician, liturgist, conductor, and organist, Dr. Finster served St. John’s Cathedral, Denver; St. Luke’s Church, San Antonio; and St. Mark’s Church, Evanston.  He founded San Antonio’s Texas Bach Choir, for which he was artistic director for fourteen years.  In Illinois he was director of music and lecturer in liturgical music at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary and principal conductor of Ars Musica Chicago.  Retiring to Texas, he has served as parish musician for St. Francis by the Lake Church in Canyon Lake and music director of Musica Sacra San Antonio.  Dr. Finster’s deepest interests include the liturgy and music of the Russian Orthodox Church and of the English Church, particularly from about 1500-1700.  His passion is in leading others to see small prayer cells called parish choir, choral schola, and academic class as places where the singing of Holy Scripture as antiphon, verse, hymn, or cantata becomes of high value, leading to corporate and personal spiritual enrichment.

B.A., Occidental College.  M.Mus., A.Mus.Doc., Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester.