Robert Humber

Robert Humber (he/him) is a Canadian composer, multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, educator, producer and arranger. He has written and performed music for concert halls, films, dance, installations and more. Recently, his piece for five violins, “into air,” was awarded 1st prize in the 2024 SOCAN Young Composer Award (Chamber Ensemble). His 2024 CMC Prairie Emerging Composer Prize-winning piece “warmth comes” was premiered by Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, officially opening the Winnipeg New Music Festival. A growing interest in the intersection between music and other artistic disciplines has led to such collaborations as to unwind a sea shell, a 25-minute piece for dancer, piano and tape made in collaboration with dancer Hilary Knee and pianist Stephen Eckert, premiered during 2024 Sound Symposium. His debut alternative folk album (under the moniker “R Sheaves”) is set to release this Fall via LHM Records. He wrote, recorded and mixed the album himself over a two-year period, layering voices, woodwinds, guitars, accordions, strings and singing saws under softly sung lyrics about the nature of loss and healing.

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As an arranger, Robert has written many creative arrangements of Beatles and Björk songs for Dark by Five ensemble. He arranged Andrew Staniland’s electronic film score “The Righteous” for cellist Vernon Regehr and Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra. He has also made stripped-down arrangements of orchestral music for Kittiwake Dance.

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Robert has performed on a variety of instruments, and has accompanied plays, improvised alongside motion-capture virtual reality pieces (“Fyne’s Way Home”), and played with many singer/songwriter, folk and rock acts.

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Robert graduated with a Master's Degree in Music Composition at University of British Columbia where he studied with Jocelyn Morlock, Stephen Chatman and Dorothy Changl. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Music Composition at Memorial University of Newfoundland, where he studied with Andrew Staniland and Clark Ross.