Rob Moose | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 1982 (age 42–43) |
| Origin | New York City |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Website | robmoose |
Rob Moose (born 1982)[1] is an American multi-instrumentalist, arranger, producer, conductor, and orchestrator.[2] He primarily plays the violin, viola, and guitar.
Moose was born in 1982.[1] He was raised inWindsor, Connecticut[3] and learned piano and violin atThe Hartt School.[4] He attended theLoomis Chaffee School through 10th grade, before moving with his family toMoorestown, New Jersey.[5][4] He completed high school atMoorestown Friends School, graduating in 2000.[5] Moose studied violin at theManhattan School of Music in New York City.[1][5] He began a master's program in American studies atColumbia University, but left to joinAntony and the Johnsons on tour in 2005.[1]
Moose metSufjan Stevens in 2004 after being introduced to him byShara Worden, who was then a member of Stevens' touring band.[6] Moose made his first major contribution in 2005, playing violin on Stevens' albumIllinois (2005).[7]
As a violinist, violist, guitarist, and mandolinist, Moose has performed on close to 500 albums, including albums by artists such asGwen Stefani,Maren Morris,Rufus Wainwright,Alabama Shakes,John Legend, andJoshua Bell.[8] He appeared on the Grammy Award-winning albumsHigh Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project (2009) byLoudon Wainwright III andThe Suburbs (2010) byArcade Fire.[2] In addition, he has contributed toNico Muhly's score forHowards End (2017)[9] andNicholas Britell's scores forFree State of Jones (2016)[10] andBattle of the Sexes (2017).[11]
Moose has worked as a music arranger for records by numerous artists includingThe Decemberists,Interpol,The National,St. Vincent,Bon Iver,Tune-Yards,LeAnn Rimes,They Might Be Giants,Trey Anastasio,Bruce Hornsby,Paul Simon,Sara Bareilles,Punch Brothers,[8][2]Phoebe Bridgers,[12] andTaylor Swift.[13] His relationship withBlake Mills has resulted in collaborations on albums byJohn Legend,Alabama Shakes,Laura Marling,Jim James,Perfume Genius,Dawes andJesca Hoop.[8] Moose has also contributed arrangements to classical artists such asJoshua Bell andRenée Fleming,[8] and his work was featured on the Grammy Award-winning albumHigh Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project (2009) byLoudon Wainwright III.[14]
Moose has contributed to threebenefit albums byRed Hot Organization, including interpretingJohann Sebastian Bach piano works as a duo with mandolinistChris Thile onRed Hot + Bach (2014).[2] Moose has also been a frequent contributor toBen Folds' Declassified Series with theNational Symphony Orchestra, writing charts forSara Bareilles,Regina Spektor,Emily King andBlake Mills.[15][16]
In 2007, Moose made his debut as a conductor and orchestrator in a performance with Sufjan Stevens at theJohn F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Opera House.[17][2] He was the conductor on Antony and the Johnsons' live albumCut the World (2012).[18] He has worked as a conductor at numerous venues, including theWalt Disney Concert Hall and theRoyal Opera House.[2] Moose has also conducted orchestras in performance forAnohni, Sufjan Stevens, andBruce Hornsby.[citation needed] Moose's orchestrations have been performed byLaura Marling and 12 Ensemble,[19]Amos Lee with theColorado Symphony, and by theDallas Symphony Orchestra.[16]
Moose has toured withAntony and the Johnsons, Sufjan Stevens,The National,Beth Orton,Glen Hansard, andBlake Mills, andMy Brightest Diamond. He has also played viola in performance withJay-Z and played violin in performance forSavion Glover,Josh Groban,Vampire Weekend, andDuncan Sheik.[5][2] Recently, Moose served as the musical director forSara Bareilles' "Amidst the Chaos" tour in 2019.[20]
Moose has worked as a producer onBen Folds'So There (2015),Gabriel Kahane'sThe Ambassador (2014),Time for Three's 2014 eponymous debut album, My Brightest Diamond'sAll Things Will Unwind (2011)[2]The Staves and yMusic's collaborative album The Way Is Read (2017),[21] Phoebe Bridgers' EPCopycat Killer (2020),[22] and BrhyM's (Bruce Hornsby and yMusic)Deep Sea Vents.[23]
Moose is a founding member of the New York sextet chamber ensembleyMusic. Moose formed yMusic with trumpeterCJ Camerieri in Brooklyn in 2008. The ensemble consists of a trumpet, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, and cello.[24] As of 2020, yMusic has released five studio albums.[25] yMusic play classical and pop music compositions and also assist other artists in adding classical elements to their music.[5] After collaborating on Ben Folds' albumSo There (2015)[26] yMusic joined the "Ben Folds & yMusic" tour in 2015 and 2016, performing in the US,[27] UK[28] and Australia[29] and at theBonnaroo Music Festival[30] and theHolland Festival.[31] They also collaborated with Swedish singerJosé González on a 16-date concert tour reimagining original works at venues such as theWalt Disney Concert Hall and theBeacon Theatre. González described the collaboration as "it feels like it opens us up from sounding energetic and avant-garde to classic and delicate."[32]
In 2011, Moose joinedBon Iver. He contributed musical arrangements and recorded strings for the group's self-titled second album,Bon Iver (2011).[33][34] The album was certifiedplatinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2019.[35] The album wonBest Alternative Music Album at the2012 Grammy Awards, while the band wonBest New Artist for their work on it.[36] Moose toured with Bon Iver, including performing four sold-out concerts atRadio City Music Hall and an appearance onSaturday Night Live.[2][37][38] Bon Iver's third studio album,22, A Million (2016), featured Moose's violin and viola arrangements on "22 (OVER S∞∞N)" and saxophone arrangements by Moose throughout.[39] Moose contributed to the band's fourth studio album,I, I (2019). Moose contributed violin, viola, octave viola, piano, string arrangements, and all "Worm Crew" arrangements. He served as the "Worm Crew" conductor. Moose has songwriting credits on "iMi", "Holyfields", and "Marion".[40]
From 2019 to 2020, Moose contributed musical analysis of popular songs to theHeadgum podcastPunch Up the Jam.[41][42][43]
| Title | EP details | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [44] | US Alt [45] | US Indie [46] | US Rock [47] | ||
| Copycat Killer(withPhoebe Bridgers) |
| 78 | 9 | 7 | 12 |
| Inflorescence |
| – | – | – | – |
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "I Bend But Never Break"[50] (featuringBrittany Howard) | 2023 | Inflorescence |
| "Wasted"[51] (featuringPhoebe Bridgers) | ||
| "Marvel Room"[52] (featuringBon Iver) | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart. | ||
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