Robin Cox is a composer and violinist known for performances of his own work and those of other contemporary composers. As director of The Robin Cox Ensemble, he has performed his music over 150 times throughout the United States, produced two critically acclaimed CD recordings, and premiered works by many contemporary composers. He is also an active concert producer, leading a highly successful mixed-media presenting series in Santa Barbara as Executive Director of Iridian Arts, Inc.

His collaborations include work with choreographers Keith Johnson, Stephanie Nugent, Loretta Livingston, Doug Nielsen, Anita Cheng, Eun Jun Gonzalez, Catey Ott, Jerry Pearson, and Jeff Slayton, video artists Kwame Braun and Carolyn Bremer, and playwrights Maggie Mixsell and Judy Bauerlein. He has also collaborated, performed, and produced concerts with musicians including Pamela Z, Phil Kline, Art Jarvinen, Brad Dutz, Michael Lowenstern, Eclipse String Quartet, Dan Becker, Belinda Reynolds, Jim Connolly, Amy X Neuberg, Ryan Brown, Scott Deal, Eve Beglarian, Sarah Cahill, Luke Dubois, and Todd Reynolds.

Cox was awarded the 2002 and 2003 Lester Horton Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Music for Modern Dance and continues to collaborate with his wife, Stephanie Nugent, and many other choreographers and video artists. He also received a 2004 ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for promotion of contemporary American music for his founding of Iridian Radio. This station is now one of the most widely heard contemporary concert music internet broadcasts worldwide.

Dr. Cox serves on the faculty of the California Institute of the Arts and California State University -Long Beach. He holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, University of Michigan, and the University of Miami, studying with composers Leslie Bassett, William Bolcom, Donald Grantham, Dennis Kam, Peter Terry, and Dan Welcher.His many commissions and grants include awards from the American Composers Forum, American Music Center, ASCAP, Cal St. -Long Beach, New Horizons Chamber Ensemble, Santa Barbara Dance Theatre, Livingston Dance, The Carolina Brass Trio, Fairbanks Symphony Association, percussion soloist Scott Deal, bassist Tom Peters, and The San Diego/Tijuana New Music Festival.

Cox has previously served on the faculty of University of California -Santa Barbara, Valdosta State University, California State University -Los Angeles, Chapman University, and the North Carolina Governor's School. He co-produced the Miami contemporary music series Music at Twilight and served as an administrator for the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.

photo credit:
Andre Andreev