Hidden Valley Music Seminars says goodbye to conductor Stewart John Robertson

The Hidden Valley Music Seminars community is mourning the passing of conductor Stewart John Robertson. He was 75.

Born in 1948 in Glasgow, Scotland, Robertson attended The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and Bristol University. He studied piano in London with Denis Matthews and studied conducting with Otmar Suitner at the Mozarteum and with Hans Swarowsky in Vienna.

Robertson’s conducting career led him to become the youngest conductor of The Cologne Opera and Music Director of The Zurich Ballet and Scottish Opera Touring Company.

In 1979 Hidden Valley brought him to California to conduct The Hidden Valley Chamber Orchestra and he became one of the regular conductors of the Hidden Valley Opera Ensemble. He was the founding conductor of the Youth Music Monterey Orchestra and also of the Hidden Valley String Orchestra.

In the 1980s, Robertson served as conductor of the San Jose Youth Orchestra and began his storied association as Music Director of Glimmerglass Opera. 

Throughout his career, Robertson was featured on numerous broadcasts for the New York City Opera on Live From Lincoln Center. He also made many recordings, including his Grammy nominated recording of Richard Rodney Bennett’s opera The Mines of Sulphur.

He retired in 2015.

"Stewart’s gift for working with young singers was legendary," according to the Hidden Valley Music Seminars announcement. "He was widely respected as a major contributor to the professional careers of opera singers with whom he worked. His graciousness, brilliance, artistic skills and intellectual generosity were treasured by thousands of musicians throughout his long career."

Robertson died of complications from Parkinson’s disease.

A memorial service will be celebrated on April 26 at Hidden Valley Music Seminars in Carmel Valley. Time to be announced.