Faculty & Staff

Bob Swift

Voice, Piano, Pipe Organ

A 1972 honors graduate from Shenandoah University, Winchester, Virginia, with a Bachelor of Music degree, Bob continued graduate work in voice and choral methods, studying privately with Jeri Ann Bond of Catholic University, Washington, D.C. Further study in Carl Orff and Zoltan Kodaly vocal teaching methods was received at the Academy of Music, Vienna, Austria. A recitalist and teacher in pipe organ, harpsichord, piano, and voice, Bob has concertized as baritone vocalist and pipe organist/pianist throughout Virginia and the Washington, DC areas for over 50 years.

Bob’s church music employment dates to November, 1965. From 1969 through 1971, he was employed by the Cassavant Pipe Organ Company of St. Hyacinthe Quebec, Canada, working under the Richmond, Virginia representative, Lawrence Walker, as tuner, voicer, and in general maintenance of nearly 60 pipe organs in and around the city. During the 1970s, Bob was an organ consultant for numerous churches in Virginia, working part-time as recitalist and organ demonstrator for the Rodgers Organ Company. In 1977, Bob completed the requisite credentials to be granted the title Certified Director of Music. From 1975 to 1978, he served on the teaching faculty of Woodberry Forest College Preparatory School, Orange, Virginia, as advanced keyboard instructor and in the late 90s, he continued his adjunct teaching, serving on the faculty of The Potomac Organ Institute in Washington, D.C. In 1998, following seminary studies at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C. and formational and educational studies through the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education, Bob was ordained clergy. In 2005, he retired after 33-years as full-time executive administrator of large music departments in Virginia. He joined Allegro’s teaching staff in November of 2015.

Bob’s teaching mandate is to create a positive and pleasant learning environment for the student. He states, “I seek to instill within the student an appreciation of music history, culture and traditions. I encourage the student to explore, to inquire, and (yes) to compose, applying music theory and compositional forms.” Sharing the arts and communicating their importance is primary for Bob. He summarizes, “Music is like a close, personal friend; it never leaves you or forsakes you. Its charismatic spirit becomes an extension of your inward self, while its contagious appeal remains a mystery. As teacher, I desire that my students will move beyond rudiments of technique to achieve mature expressions of the art.”