Robert Michael Lombardo (born 5 March 1932) is an American composer and composition teacher.^[2][3][4]

Born in Hartford, Connecticut, to Sicilian immigrants, Lombardo received his musical training at the Hartt College of Music, the University of Hartford (BMus., composition cum laude, 1954, MMus., composition, 1955),^[5] Hochschule für Musik, Berlin (1958–1959)^[5] and the University of Iowa (Ph.D., composition, 1959–1961).^[5] His principal composition teacher was Arnold Franchetti.^[6] He also studied with Philip Bezanson and Boris Blacher.^[1]

Lombardo began teaching music theory at the University of Iowa in 1959,^[5] then moved to Hartt College in 1963.^[5] In 1964, Lombardo became Professor of theory and composition and Composer-in-Residence at The Music Conservatory of Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University in Chicago,^[5] a position he would hold for 35 years until 1999.^[5]

Lombardo's compositions include over 200 works for opera, orchestra, chamber music, instrumental solos, choral music, musicals, and electronic music.^[7][8] He has collaborated with his wife, Kathleen, poet and playwright, on several compositions. Lombardo is also one of the few composers writing for the mandolin. Dimitris Marinos^[9] performed his Concerto for Mandolin and String Quartet in a world premiere in Chicago in 1995.^[10] In addition, Marinos has recorded six of Lombardo's compositions.^[6]

Lombardo's works have been performed all over the world. In 1992, contemporary music group CUBE performed his work, in Chicago.^[11] Roosevelt University hosted a performance of several of his works on his 80th birthday.^[12][13] And for these, Lombardo has been the recipient of multiple awards. In 1964, he received a Guggenheim Fellowship in Music Composition,^[14] and two grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and three Ford Foundation Grants in 1962, 1963 and 1964 among others.^[15]

Lombardo's works are not limited to simply compositions; he is also respected for his commissions, which include an important work commissioned by the Serge Koussevitzky Foundation^[16] and housed in the Library of Congress.^[17] Lombardo's papers, including musical scores and correspondence, are housed at the Northwestern University Library.^[18]