{"id":121990,"date":"2026-02-24T15:30:28","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=121990"},"modified":"2026-02-23T19:10:03","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T00:10:03","slug":"interview-composer-musician-robert-humber-talks-release-air","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/02\/24\/interview-composer-musician-robert-humber-talks-release-air\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Composer & Musician Robert Humber Talks About His Release Into Air"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"L:
L: Cover, Into Air by Robert Humber (Image courtesy of the artist); R: Composer Robert Humber (Photo: Jessica Pereversoff)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Newfoundland-based composer and musician Robert Humber will release his next album, Into Air, on February 27. The album, available on Redshift Records<\/strong>, includes four tracks of imaginative contemporary classical music.<\/p>\n

The album uses an intriguing approach. Each track is recorded with one musician, then overdubbed with multiple parts for the same instrument. It creates highly textured and dense works, including the SOCAN award-winning titular work for five violins.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been variously described as post-spectralist in its use of texture, and pulsed minimalism. It\u2019s thoroughly modern, melodic, and microtonal in turns.<\/p>\n

LV spoke to Robert Humber about his music.<\/p>\n

Robert Humber<\/h2>\n

Composer, singer\/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Robert Humber has written and performed concert music, as well as music for films, dance, and installations, among other things.<\/p>\n

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Composition at Memorial University of Newfoundland, followed by a Master’s Degree in Music Composition at University of British Columbia, where he studied with Jocelyn Morlock, Stephen Chatman, Dorothy Chang and Keith Hamel. Along with his 1st prize in the 2024 SOCAN Young Composer Award (Chamber Ensemble) for into air, he won the 2024 CMC Emerging Composer Prize for his piece \u201cwarmth comes\u201d, which was premiered by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s collaborated with a number of artists, including dancer Hilary Knee and pianist Stephen Eckert on the piece to unwind a sea shell, which premiered during 2024 NL Sound Symposium.<\/p>\n

Robert Humber: The Interview<\/h3>\n

Humber\u2019s music is modern in its aesthetics, but emotional at its core. As a musician, he\u2019s something of a chameleon.<\/p>\n

\u201cLast year, I released, I had this project called R Sheaves<\/a>,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of alternative rock with some folk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Classical music, through early classical training, was always at the back of his mind, no matter what genre he was playing in over the years. \u201cI came up through schooling as a composer. I was always, in the background, or in bands, I was in my room composing quietly.\u201d<\/p>\n

He wanted to sing and write songs. \u201cI was honestly too chicken,\u201d he laughs. \u201cCOVID happened, and I got into producing. Last year, I finally had my first songwriter album.\u201d<\/p>\n

That included varied instrumentation. \u201cThe orchestration in that, is mainly me, playing, multitracking instruments,\u201d he explains. \u201cI played saw, musical saw, for that album. My background in composition makes that album sound the way it does.\u201d Then came Threnody for Rocking Chair<\/a>, an electroacoustic album.<\/p>\n

For that release, he played harmonica, acoustic guitar, and upright bass, all instruments with folk roots.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m from Newfoundland. My early experiences in music was […] my dad playing in jams,\u201d he says. \u201cThat\u2019s where it started.\u201d<\/p>\n