Robert nordling
MUSIC director emeritus
Robert Nordling’s conducting has been described as emphatic, dramatic, and vivid, with “a fresh and airy quality and a certain elegance” (San Francisco Chronicle). He serves as Music Director of the Baroque on Beaver Island Music Festival and the Shoreline Music Society, and as Music Director Emeritus of the Bandung Philharmonic (Indonesia). A 2019 Fulbright Scholar in partnership with the Bandung Philharmonic, he developed conducting talent across Indonesia through an extended workshop and mentorship program. In recent years, Nordling has curated and led numerous projects including the Bandung Philharmonic Chamber Music Festival and a live conducting master class. His dedication to new music is reflected in over twenty world premieres since 2016, featuring composers such as Tony Manfredonia, Clarice Assad, Robert Hart, and Eric Malmquist.
Beyond the podium, Nordling is an active educator and composer. He directed the Bandung Philharmonic Conducting Fellows program from 2015 to 2023 and has served on the music faculties of Calvin University and Trinity International University, teaching orchestral conducting and music history. A native of New Jersey, he began violin studies with Stephen Clapp and Paul Zukovsky and received conducting fellowships from the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute, the Oregon Bach Festival, and the Cedardell Opera Festival, working with renowned maestros including Leonard Bernstein and Helmuth Rilling. Now based in Michigan, he continues composing and arranging while enjoying literature, woodworking, and life with Cherith Nordling and their three grandchildren.
MICHAEL HALL
CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Michael Hall, a violist based in Chicago, has performed and taught extensively across Europe, Asia, and the United States. Praised by New Music Connoisseur as “utterly masterful” and Chamber Music Today for his “superb technique,” he has premiered and championed numerous contemporary works. His career highlights include performances at the Thailand International Composition Festival, the Vianden International Chamber Music Festival, and the Composer’s Concordance Series in New York. Hall made his solo debut at Chicago’s Orchestra Hall with the world premiere of Kim Diehnelt’s Montegar and gave the world premiere of Stacy Garrop’s Viola Concerto – Krakatoa with the Bandung Philharmonic in Indonesia, later performing its U.S. premiere at the Baroque on Beaver Island Music Festival in Michigan. A devoted advocate for new music, he has premiered over fifty works and recorded with labels including Delos, Centaur, Albany, and Navona Records.
In addition to his international performing career, Hall is deeply committed to music education and collaboration. He serves as Co-Artistic Director and Director of Educational Programs for the Bandung Philharmonic, leading initiatives that connect composers, artists, and young students throughout Indonesia. He has taught at institutions such as VanderCook College of Music, Illinois Wesleyan University, and the University of Chicago, and currently serves on the Board of the American Viola Society. Hall holds degrees from Ball State University, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Beyond the stage, he is an avid hiker and photographer who finds inspiration in nature, literature, and life with his wife Kristine and their two daughters in Chicago.
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MARISA SHARON HARTANTO
composer in residence
Marisa Hartanto, born in Jakarta in 1986, is a composer, conductor, and pianist whose work bridges Indonesian musical heritage and contemporary expression. She holds a Master’s degree in Composition from Royal Holloway, University of London, as well as degrees in Pharmacy from the University of Indonesia and a Master Certificate in Arranging and Orchestration from Berklee College of Music. Winner of the BBC Concert Orchestra’s Baroque Remixed Project in 2012, her work was premiered at The Roundhouse, London, and broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Marisa later collaborated with Wayang Golek puppeteer Prof. Matthew Cohen for a production at the Royal Festival Hall and became an Associate Composer with the London Symphony Orchestra’s Soundhub. She co-founded Perempuan Komponis, a collective for Indonesian women composers, and directs Canzona Music School, a creative space for young musicians.
As the first and only composer-in-residence of an Indonesian orchestra, Marisa has served with both the Bandung Philharmonic and Orkes Simfoni Universitas Indonesia Mahawaditra. Her compositions have been performed by ensembles such as the BBC Concert Orchestra, members of the London Symphony Orchestra, Hebrides Ensemble, National Taiwan Philharmonic, and numerous orchestras and festivals across Europe, the United States, and Asia. A recipient of multiple awards and scholarships, she also joined the Bandung Philharmonic Conducting Fellowship under Robert Nordling in 2016. Marisa’s music described as “captivating,” “poetic,” and “magical”, reflects a deep instinct for color, texture, and cross-cultural dialogue, drawing inspiration from composers like Stravinsky, Debussy, and Arvo Pärt as well as Indonesia’s rich musical traditions.
