Biography

Robbie Bui is first recognized as a contemporary cellist, but his creative life stretches beyond the singular label. He is a frequent new music collaborator, a composer, a full-time nonprofit arts administrator, a portrait photographer, a collaborative pianist if you trust him, sometimes 2nd violinist in a pop gig, and even once the piccolo player in high school orchestra.

His early fascination with orchestral instruments in his youth symphony days lead him to pick up composition: he later graduated with a Bachelors of Music With Honors in Composition from New England Conservatory as a Presser Scholar and as the commencement speaker. That curiosity evolved into a deeper exploration of interpretation, culminating in a Master of Arts and Doctorate of Musical Arts in contemporary cello performance practice at University of California, San Diego. Through this mixed background, he invests consideration of music’s theoretical construction into his performance expressivity, leading to dozens of new pieces dedicated to him as a soloist and chamber musician.

Robbie currently plays in East Coast Contemporary Ensemble (ECCE), Palimpsest Ensemble, Alinéa, and anywhere and wherever he is needed throughout San Diego. Some of his favorite spaces he’s been a soloist, recitalist, guest resident, or composer include the Koussevitzky Shed, Seiji Ozawa Hall, Jordan Hall, the DiMenna Center, Conrad Prebys Music Center, McGill Schulich School of Music, Bombyx, Mandeville Auditorium, and the San Diego Public Libraries. He’s presented and been in residence at festivals such as the Darmstädter Ferienkurse, Klangspuren, Etchings Festival, Orford Music Academy Contemporary Workshop, and Vienna Summer Music Festival. Some highlights of premieres, awards, and performance mentorship includes work with ensembles such as Ensemble Dal Niente, Ensemble PHACE, JACK Quartet, NEC Contemporary Ensemble, nec[shivaree], New England Conservatory Symphony, Tempest String Quartet, Worcester Chamber Music Society, and Transient Canvas, alongside organizations like Tribeca New Music, Collage New Music, Arizona Musicfest, Phoenix Youth Symphony, and the American String Teacher’s Association.

His artistic life spans the work both on stage and off, where he brings the same commitment and creativity to his administrative work as he does to performance. He currently serves as Patron Services and Office Manager of La Jolla Symphony and Chorus, where he previously had been the Community Engagement Manager, the assistant principal cellist, and a concert soloist. His previous administrative resume ranges from concert curation for local senior homes throughout the county, to summer audio-technology class management in various San Diego Public Libraries, from coordinating student-academic life at Boston University Tanglewood Institute, to serving as lead director of the Tuesday Night New Music series.

Beyond music, he is a professional freelance photographer specializing in creative portraiture and performance documentation. Outside of work, he learns languages, tailors thrifted clothes, cuts hair, and can make great latte art. Across music, art, and all of his daily life, he is grounded by the same principles: curiosity for the novel, dedication towards craft, and enthusiasm for trying to do a little bit of everything.