Rob Cothran is excited for the opportunity to lead the students of the CFCArts Youth Orchestra! Rob completed a Bachelor of Music Education and graduate assistantship at Auburn University with trumpet as his principal instrument. He spent 12 years as a high school band director, teaching AP Music Theory and IB Music in Alabama. Rob’s concert, marching, and jazz ensembles consistently earned superior ratings in assessment and competition. Rob had multiple ensembles selected to perform at the Alabama Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference, The Chicago Thanksgiving Parade (Chicago, Illinois), The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade (Washington, D.C.), and numerous other honor bands and festivals. Rob is currently active as a wind and marching band clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor. Rob’s professional playing experience includes cruise ship bands throughout Europe and the Caribbean, freelancing in the San Francisco Bay Area and the southeastern United States, and numerous pit orchestras. Rob was a founding member of the Alabama Winds, an all-adult wind band whose mission is “to foster and promote the appreciation of high-quality wind band music through performances of artistic merit for our audience, the residents of the state of Alabama and the members of the ensemble.” Rob has performed with the Alabama Winds at the Midwest Clinic International Band, Orchestra, and Music Conference in Chicago, Illinois, as well as on tour throughout Europe. Rob performed for over a decade with the Auburn Knights Orchestra, a jazz and swing big band performing continuously since its founding in Auburn, Alabama, in 1929. In addition to serving as a conductor for the CFCArts Youth Orchestra, Rob also performs with the CFCArts Big Band and Symphony Orchestra. Rob currently works in the student travel industry where he coordinates worldwide travel opportunities for student performing ensembles of all sizes and ages. He lives in Minneola, Florida, with Allison (his wife), Rhett (his dog), and Gibbs (his cat).