Pianist|Composer|Master Teacher

Robert Hitz

Whether onstage, in his studio, or leading a concert under the sun, Robert Hitz’s artistry is grounded and electric. Classically trained with a Bachelor of Arts from the Peabody Conservatory and a Masters from Syracuse University, Robert blends time-honored techniques with innovative musical ideas inviting everyone within earshot to feel a little more alive.

Founder of the Robert Hitz Studio in Pikesville, Maryland Robert has mentored students in piano composition, improvisation, performance, and vocal expression for over 40 years. He has long since ditched traditional recitals and instead, opts for spontaneous showcases and community based concerts that often double as fundraisers, celebrations, or spiritual revivals, allowing for his students to become collaborators and co-creators. Even unsuspecting spectators may find themselves all-of-a-sudden immersed into a creative process, all thanks to one of Robert’s many mottos:

“If you’re in the room, you’re fair game.”

At the Peabody Conservatory, Robert studied under the legendary Walter Hautzig, whose pedagogical lineage winds through Artur Schnabel, Franz Liszt, and Ludwig van Beethoven. Given that Beethoven was widely admired in his lifetime for his improvisations, it’s no wonder that Robert inherited the same flair. In addition to his composed and recorded works for solo piano, four-hand piano, ensembles, solo voice, choral music, and film and theatre scores, Robert feels right at home channeling music in real time that is born of the moment, shaped by the room, and inspired by the people in it.

With performances in grand concert halls to intimate backyard settings across the United States and Europe, Robert has shared the stage with spiritual and thought leaders such as Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Barbara Marx Hubbard, and Gary Zukav. Robert is a founding member of the Baltimore Composers Forum, a member of the American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS), and a former recipient of both Meet the Composer and ASCAP grants.

These days, Robert can be found leading international workshops, raising funds for local and national charities close to his heart, co-conspiring with the Numinous Piano Duo, guest lecturing at the Peabody Institute and Loyola University, or serving on the executive committee of the Society of Peabody Alumni (SPA). If you’ve searched all of these places and still can’t seem to locate Robert, he’s likely off swimming somewhere, or caring for his friends and family, or planting a few hundred trees with a martini in one hand and a shovel in the other. But not to worry, no matter the setting, he will return soon with his kind and deep wisdom, playful rhythmic games, and his commitment to creative mentorship, arriving with his one guiding rule:

“We will have fun! There’s no point in making music if we’re not enjoying ourselves.”