Robert Strassburg (August 30, 1915 – October 25, 2003) was a leading American conductor, composer, musicologist and music educator of the twentieth century. His studies in music were completed under the supervision of such leading composers as Igor Stravinsky, Walter Piston and Paul Hindemith, with whom he studied at Tanglewood. His formal academic studies were completed at the New England Conservatory of Music and Harvard University, where he obtained a fellowship in composition. He also completed a doctorate in Fine Arts at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles. As a musicologist, Dr. Strassburg is regarded as a leading authority on the compositions of the composer Ernest Bloch.
Robert Strassburg's contributions to the advancement of music education within the United States of America were far ranging and comprehensive in nature. After serving as a lecturer at Brooklyn College (1947–1950), he obtained a position as artist in residence at the Brandeis Arts Institute in California (1951–1955). During his years in Miami, he founded the All-Miami Youth Symphony in 1958 and was conductor until 1961 [1]. Today it is known as the Greater Miami Youth Symphony [2] and is one of the oldest youth symphonies in continuous existence in Florida. Additional contributions were made as the Assistant Dean for the School of Fine Arts at the University of Judaism (now the American Jewish University) in Los Angeles (1961–1966). This culminated in an appointment as professor of Music at the California State University at Los Angeles in 1966.