Robert Esler (USA) is an exciting performer and innovative musician currently exploring new ways of intergrating technology and music. His most recent project, "Desert, Forest, Tundra" was concluded in Alaska and to be released soon as a full-length documentary directed by Len Kamerling. Currently, Dr. Esler is on faculty at the Scottsdale Community College, and teaches part-time at Arizona State University. He is a regular performer with the Phoenix based ensemble, Crossing 32nd St., hailed as Phoenix's best new classical music ensemble.

In 2002, he commissioned three new works for percussion and electronics which included a tour of performances, lectures and masterclasses at such noted venues as Centro Nacional de las Artes, Peabody Conservatory, University of Massachusetts, San Diego State University, Engine 27 in New York among others.

Dr. Esler is a well traveled musician performing all over the world working with such people as Pierre Boulez, Steve Reich, Evan Ziporyn, Hilda Paredes and Robert van Sice as well as such groups as Ensemble Intercontemporain, the Amadinda percussion group, Daejon Philharmonic in South Korea, So Percussion Group and red fish blue fish percussion group. He has been a featured performer at the Bartok Festival in Hungary, the European Music Academy in France, PASIC in Dallas, Texas, the Festival Internacional de Percusiones in Mexico City, Spoleto Festival in Charleston, The Green Umbrella Series, First Fridays in Phoenix and the Agora Festival in Paris, France.

Dr. Esler won a top prize in the Vienna International Music Competition with a marimba/violin duo competing against groups from all over the world. He has also been awarded grants from FideMex USA, The Yvar Mikhashoff Trust and the Pilot Projects Fund at UCSD. Mr. Esler received his bachelors degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, a masters degree in music from Yale University, and doctorate from the University of California, San Diego. His playing can be heard on Cantaloupe Records, CIEM and soon Tzadik Records.