Robert Wendel was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1951. He attended the University of Connecticut,[1] where he pursued a double major in chemistry and music. During his time at the university, Wendel studied with Hale Smith and also took private lessons with Leroy Anderson.[citation needed] He also served as assistant conductor of the University of Connecticut Symphony and the New Britain Symphony. After receiving his Master of Arts degree, Wendel worked in musical theater for several years, before he moved to New York City and became an orchestra member and stand-by conductor at Radio City Music Hall, and a conductor/arranger for Carol Channing.[2]
His work has been featured every December since 2001 on the annual Flint Symphony Orchestra Holiday Pops telecast on WJRT-TV 12;[3] at a memorial concert for the Challenger astronauts at the Kennedy Space Center; at a concert to honor the Tuskegee Airmen;[4] on the 2006 National Memorial Day Concert to honor the opening of the National World War II Memorial telecast live nationwide on PBS;[5] in 2009 as part of the Abraham Lincoln tribute; again in 2011 for Colin Powell's home-coming welcome to U.S. troops on the National Mall; and again in 2017 to salute The Tuskegee Airmen and World War 2 veterans.[6] He has also written for "Cirque de la Symphonie".[7]
In December 2014, Robert Wendel was awarded The American Prize Judge's Special Citation for "Music for Use. Well Crafted, Accessible and Performance-Ready."[8]
Wendel received The American Prize as one of five "Honored Artists" for 2015.[9]
Includes "Powerhouse, Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals, Huckleberry Duck, The Penguin, The Toy Trumpet, Twilight in Turkey." Available through G. Schirmer
"Rock Around The Clock" (1995)
"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (2000)
"Saint Bailey's Rag" (1991)
"The Saint Louis Blues" (1994)
"The Smurf's March" (2005)
"A Stephen Foster Overture" (1992)
"Still, Still, Still" (2010)
"Surf's Up!" (1993)
"Swing Ludwig, Swing!" (1999)
"That's It, That's All... The End!" (2004)
"Under The Big Top" (2006)
"Viva Puccini" (1997)
"We Need A Little Christmas" (1996)
"We Three Kings..." (1990) - From "A Classical Christmas Suite"