Galbraith, Robert

Violin

Robert Galbraith’s early studies in music were with violinist Effie Keldsen, pianist Antoinette Tranfaglia, and organist Harold Mueller. A treble soloist with the Menlo Park Presbyterian Boys Choir, he also played violin and trombone throughout his high school years for Sandor Salgo at Stanford and was engaged as the first organist of the newly built Presbyterian Church in Portola Valley at the age of sixteen.

Robert holds degrees in violin performance from Brigham Young University and the Indiana University School of Music, where he was an associate instructor of violin and viola.

In 1968 Robert interrupted his studies to serve two years as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in London. During this period he performed weekly concerts as recital organist at the church’s Hyde Park chapel in South Kensington and served as arranger and pianist for a mixed instrumental/vocal ensemble that performed at venues throughout East Anglia, on Thames Television, and at the Universities of Kent at Canterbury and Cambridge.

Upon his return to the United States, Robert was invited by Maurice Abravanel to join the first violin section of the Utah Symphony Orchestra, where he played for two seasons before returning to San Francisco in 1972, where he was chosen by Kurt Herbert Adler to join the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. He has since performed extensively with every major San Francisco ensemble, appearing as soloist with the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, Principal Viola with American Ballet Theatre and the Joffrey Ballet, and Concertmaster or Principal with the San Francisco Opera and Ballet orchestras and numerous regional ensembles in northern California. He serves regularly as guest organist for churches of various denominations.

Robert and his wife, Janet (Groesbeck) are the parents of five adult children and two grandchildren.