January 6, 2026
Butler School of Music alumnus Robert Honstein (MM ’07) has been named one of twelve composers nationwide to receive a 2025 Fromm Music Foundation Commission, a prestigious award that is run through Harvard University.
Honstein will compose a new percussion quartet for the internationally acclaimed Colin Currie Quartet in the United Kingdom, with a premiere planned for 2027.
The Fromm Music Foundation at Harvard University awards its annual commissions through a highly competitive process, supporting new musical works and helping bring contemporary concert music to wider audiences.
Honstein is known for orchestral, chamber, vocal, and film music. His work has been praised by The New York Times for its “waves of colorful sounds” and by The New Yorker for its “smart” and “appealing” style. His music has been commissioned by leading ensembles including the Albany Symphony, Eighth Blackbird, and Ensemble Connect at Carnegie Hall.
Honstein’s recent honors include the Andrew Imbrie Award from the American Academy of Arts & Letters and an Emmy nomination for his film score for the documentary The Real Charlie Chaplin. He currently serves as Program Director of Concert Composition and Clinical Assistant Professor of Music at NYU Steinhardt.