Robert Train Adams

Robert Train Adams, Music Director

The San Francisco Lyric Chorus welcomes new Music Director, Dr. Robert Train Adams, in Fall 2009, upon the departure of San Francisco Lyric Chorus Co-Founder and Music Director, Robert Gurney.  Dr. Adams joined the San Francisco Lyric Chorus in Fall 2006 as Assistant Conductor and Concert Accompanist.

In addition to working with the San Francisco Lyric Chorus, Dr. Adams is Minister of Music at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Orinda, where he directs Chancel, Handbell, and Children's choirs. He retired from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, having served at the University of Massachusetts and several other universities as music professor and department head for 25 years. 

Dr. Adams received music degrees through the Ph.D. from the University of California Berkeley, with composition studies at the Paris and Amsterdam conservatories.  He is an active composer, specializing in works for choral and instrumental chamber ensembles.  The first volume of his liturgical piano works, I Come With Joy, was published by Augsburg Press in Spring 2007. 

He has accompanied the San Francisco Lyric Chorus in performances of our 10th anniversary commissioned work, Lee R. Kesselman’s This Grand Show Is Eternal, James Mulholland’s Highland Mary and A Red, Red Rose, the world premiere of Donald Bannett’s arrangement of Josef Spivak’s Ma Navu, John Blow’s Begin the Song, Henry Purcell’s Come Ye Sons of Art, Amy Beach’s Grand Mass in E Flat Major, Francis Poulenc’s Gloria, Francesco Durante’s Magnificat, Franz Schubert’s Magnificat, Herbert Howells’ Hymn for St. Cecilia and Magnificat Collegium Regale, Randall Thompson’s The Last Words of David; Lukas Foss’ Cool Prayers (from The Prairie); Emma Lou Diemer’s Three Madrigals; Samuel Barber’s The Monk and His Cat; and Irving Fine’s Lobster Quadrille and Father William from Alice in Wonderland.   In Spring 2008, Dr. Adams conducted the San Francisco Lyric Chorus in the West Coast Premiere of his composition, It Will Be Summer—Eventually, a setting of eight Emily Dickinson poems.