Robert Strava, associate principal second violin, was born in Lafayette, Ind., and moved to Phoenix when he was in the second grade. Two years later, The Phoenix Symphonettes came to play at his school; he heard the violins and told everyone that was what he wanted to do. The following year, when he was in the fifth grade, he began violin lessons.
Robert studied with Eugene Lombardi at Arizona State University, where he received his bachelor's of music degree. His formal education took a hiatus when he joined the U.S. Navy Band after graduating from ASU, but his music continued. For four years, he was violin soloist with the U. S. Navy Band and a member of the band's string quartet. Robert completed his master's of music degree while in the Navy at The Catholic University of America, where he studied with Berl Senofsky. He continued his studies at the University of Iowa with Allen Ohmes and earned his doctoral degree in 1977.
Robert is active as a performer in numerous chamber groups and has performed with the Mainly Mozart Festival, the Flagstaff Festival of the Arts and the Sedona Chamber Music Festival. He loves teaching and maintains an active studio of private violin students. Robert has been on the faculty of the Sewanee Summer Music Center (held at the University of the South in Tennessee) and the Interlochen Center for the Arts. Prior to joining The Phoenix Symphony in 1980, Robert was on the faculty of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn.