Robert Aronstein

Degrees

Professional Experience

Mr. Aronstein worked for 23 years as a pianist, vocalist, and entertainer, in music retail and musical instrument repair prior to pursuing a career in music education. He has continued to work in music entertainment, performing regularly as a solo piano/vocal entertainer, and with groups ranging from duos, a jazz/rock trio, high-energy party bands, ‘duelling piano’ shows, and several blues bands. He performs weekly as a piano bar entertainer with a repertoire of over 1000 popular tunes spanning the last 150 years, ranging from folk, ragtime, blues, boogie boogie, jazz and vocal standards, through classic rock and more current pop tunes at The Wishing Well Restaurant in Wilton, NY.

Teaching Interests

Mr Aronstein has been teaching in the Schenectady City School District since 2003, as a choral director, concert band director, jazz band director, instrumental instructor, general music classroom teacher, piano teacher and guitar teacher. Mr. Aronstein currently teaches 4th through 8th grade instrumental music in the Schenectady City School District. He oversees 3 middle school concert bands, a non-traditional MS jazz ensemble, a weekly after-school guitar club, and directs an annual school talent show. He is a member of the district’s Friends of Music, and has served on boards of directors of the Hamilton Hill Arts Center and the Empire State Youth Orchestra. He was named the Schenectady City School District Teacher Of the Year, 2014.

Research/Creative Works

Mr. Aronstein produced, performed on and recorded his solo CD Play This! here in Studio A at CSR in 2017, the CDs Steppin’ Down Blues Lane and Hardly Ever Blue by local blues legend Charlie Smith, and has played piano and Hammond organ on several other local artists’ blues, roots and country music CD’s. Mr. Aronstein recorded and produced the CD, Shake It! by Latin-Jazz group Sensemaya, for which he was recognized for recording of the month by Recording Magazine in their September 2010 Spotlight feature. He has recording credit on Kieth Pray’s Big Soul Ensemble CD release Live at the Lark Tavern and has completed mixing upcoming CD releases for Steve Lambert’s jazz quintet and the Agape Blues Band. Mr. Aronstein currently provides FOH and back line equipment, and mixes live sound for the A Place For Jazz concert series in Schenectady, as well as the  annual Shenendehoa Jazz Festival, concerts by RPI’s Partial Credit A Cappella, the Schenectady and Albany AFM chapters’ Jazz Appreciation concerts, Jazz on Jay concerts, and various community events.

Mr. Aronstein currently uses Logic X, ProTools, Propellerhead Reason, Sibelius, Band-in-a-Box, Garage Band, Audacity, and virtual instruments by Arturia (all of their virtual keyboard apps), Native Instruments (Akoustik Piano, Elektrik Piano, Pro 53), and Modartt (Pianoteq). He has extensive experience with Sonar, Digital Performer, and Finale. In addition, Mr. Aronstein regularly uses Adobe CC apps, MS Office and OpenOffice applications to create all manner of print and visual content. Website: www.robertaronstein.com