Robert Martin, Studio Director

Robert Luke Martin is an internationally recognized conductor and concert producer, having worked in concert halls, recording studios, and churches across the United States and Europe. He champions the music of living composers, utilizing the scores found in video games, films, and television shows to bring new audiences to the concert hall and experience the orchestra for the first time. In 2020, Robert started Áthos Productions, which creates and develops orchestral concerts that focus on this mission (athos-productions.com).

Robert currently serves as the Director of the Irish Video Game Orchestra in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Originally started as a one-time concert project as part of Q-Con in 2015, the IVGO has grown to be a pillar in the music community in Belfast and the wider reaches of Ireland, serving as the only ensemble on the island to feature video game music as its repertoire.

In addition to his role as Director of the Irish Video Game Orchestra, Robert is currently serving as the conducting and music consultant of the MAGFest Community Orchestra (National Harbor, Maryland), the Studio Director of Crescendo Studios (Falls Church, Virginia), and Director of Worship & Music at Lord of Life Lutheran Church (Fairfax, Virginia).

Prior to the IVGO, Robert was the Founding Music Director of the Houghton Pops Orchestra (Houghton, NY), and the Studio Orchestra of Long Beach, a training orchestra in Long Beach, California. Recent workshops include Studio Sessions with Tim Redmond and Karen Ní Bhroin at the FAMES Project Recording Studio in Skopje, Macedonia and the Everything But Conducting Seminar with Ankush Kumar Bahl and the Omaha Symphony Orchestra. Robert holds degrees from Houghton University, Queens University Belfast, and California State University Long Beach.

Robert currently lives in Northern Virginia with his two cats, Andy and Prince Sidon, but has plans to be back in Los Angeles this Autumn. His favourite soundtracks come from the Legend of Zelda series (also his favourite games!).