Rob Elfline joined Augustana College as Assistant Professor teaching piano, class piano, musicianship and music appreciation in the fall of 2007.
Robert Elfline grew up in the gateway area in Morrison, Illinois, and graduated from Morrison High School in 1993. He began his study of the piano at age six and by age twelve was accepted into the studio of renowned pianist Donald Walker, with whom he studied for six years.
After high school, Rob earned the degree of Bachelor of Music piano performance from Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1997. After college, Rob enrolled in the graduate program at Rice University in Houston, Texas, taking performance honors and earning the degree of Master of Music.
Most recently, Rob has earned the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, graduating in August of 2007. Prior to coming to Augustana, Rob was on the music faculty of Humboldt State University in Arcata, California, where his duties included instruction of private lessons for piano majors, instruction of group piano classes for non-majors, instruction and oversight of the piano pedagogy sequence, instruction of courses in piano literature, and maintenance of the piano accompanying program.
Additionally, for the past ten years, Rob has maintained an active private studio having taught private lessons, group piano classes and music theory classes to pre-college students in Davenport, Iowa, and Mason, Ohio. As a performer, Rob takes a particular interest both in the sonatas of Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert, and the music of modern American composers. Additionally, he enjoys presenting works of lesser-known composers, particularly those active around the turn of the nineteenth century. This interest has led to the study of works for piano and narrator, a long-neglected segment of the piano repertoire that has formed the basis for his dissertation.
Rob and his wife Ally (a native of Moline) are thrilled to be back in the Quad Cities as a part of the Augustana community.
Biographical information and photo provided by Dr. Elfline.
