St. Andrews Bach Society

John Thomas Brobeck is a native of Philadelphia, PA. He holds a B. Mus. Degree magna cum laude from Westminster Choir College (1976), a Ph.D. in the History and Theory of Music from the University of Pennsylvania (1991), and has undertaken post-graduate study in choral conducting, organ, and harpsichord. He came to the University of Arizona in 1988, and has coordinated its music history program since 1992. The principal focus of Prof. Brobeck's research is French music and musical patronage during the 15th and 16th centuries. Publications include substantial articles in Musica disciplina (1993), The Journal of the American Musicological Society (1995), and The Journal of Musicology (1998); 9 articles for The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, rev.ed.(2002); 4 articles for Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart, rev. ed. (2003 ff.); and a forthcoming article in Epitome musicale.  This past year he also read scholarly papers at conferences in Quebec, the U.K., Texas, Utah, and Tucson, and he was featured in an Arizona Illustrated television broadcast on the pipe organ.

He serves on the Board of the Arizona Early Music Society and in 2002-03 was President of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Musicological Society. Professor Brobeck directed the early music group of The University of Arizona, the Collegium Musicum, from 1990-2004, and led it in performances of numerous major works, including Bach's St. John Passion, Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers, Handel's Messiah (complete reenactment of the 1742 première), and concert versions of portions of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas and Cavalieri's Rappresentazione di anima e di corpo. He also is active as an organ recitalist, and holds an appointment as Organist and Assistant Director of Music for Northminster Presbyterian Church, Tucson. He lives in Tucson with his wife Sue and their three children, Philip, Marie, and Jenny.