Robert Fertitta

Robert Fertitta received his education at the City University of New York, where he studied musicology with a specialization in music analysis. He was also a student of counterpoint, keyboard studies, solfège, and analysis with Nadia Boulanger. He retired from Purchase College in 2007 after 30 years on the faculty. He oversaw the musicianship curriculum and was director of the college choir. He remains active as a performer, lecturer, workshop presenter, adjudicator of competitions, and music reviewer, and is currently the music director at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Woodbury, Connecticut.

Fertitta has appeared as organ soloist with the Westchester Philharmonic in Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony, Poulenc’s Organ Concerto, and Copland’s Organ Symphony. During the 1988 inaugural season of PepsiCo’s Summerfare at the Performing Arts Center at Purchase College, he performed on the world’s largest movable organ, the 59-rank Flentrop pipe organ, in solo recitals as well as with the Frankfurt Opera Company in the John Cage production, Europeras, and with the Philharmonia Virtuosi in the silent film presentation of Ben-Hur. He has accompanied the Canticum Novum Singers, the Dessoff Choirs, and the Collegium Antiquum. As pianist, he has given solo recitals, chamber music programs, and master classes. Fertitta has also done some conducting—in the Messiah Sing-Ins at Avery Fisher Hall and at various commemorative Bach and Mozart festivals with students, faculty, and alumni.

Robert Fertitta is also a photographer of stained glass windows. His work is featured on hundreds of church websites and in many books, articles, and magazines.