Bob Anderson left his hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania to join the North Carolina Symphony in October 1971. As he says, “There are just a few musicians still in the North Carolina Symphony from the early seventies. We’ve played hard and enjoyed the musical growth of the orchestra.” 
    Bob has worn many hats at the North Carolina Symphony over the years. He has worked stage crew; served as Assistant Personnel Manager, Orchestra Committee member, and Chairman; and for many years was a member of the Board of the Professional Musicians’ Association, Local 500, AF of M. He produced special concerts like the Nuclear Freeze Concert at Duke Chapel in 1987 and post-9/11 concerts in Durham and Raleigh. Along with clarinetists Jimmy Gilmore and Mike Cyzewski, in the mid-1980s, Bob conceived of and produced the initial two seasons of Summerfest, which has become a yearly tradition for the Symphony.
    Bob graduated from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Oscar Zimmerman. He also studied with Robert Leininger and Henry Portnoi. Besides the North Carolina Symphony, he has performed with the Eastern Music Festival, the Savannah Symphony, the Erie Philharmonic, and the Rochester Philharmonic. He has performed countless chamber concerts in the Triangle and has appeared in the Skaneateles Chamber Festival in Chatauqua, New York. Bob was Instructor of Double Bass at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for fifteen years and continues to teach privately.
    Bob’s wife, pianist Janice McLaughlin, performed with the Symphony and served as Assistant/Senior Assistant Librarian for over 32 years. Janice and Bob have two wonderful children: Betty and Joseph.
    After fifty years, Bob looks back on life with the North Carolina Symphony and takes pride in its artistic quality. For example, he recalls a recording of guest conductor Louis Lane leading the Symphony in Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2. When he first heard it, it made him think, “Wow, we sound great!” And in January 2020, he remembers sitting in the front row of the balcony to witness guest conductor Gemma New lead a stellar performance of Holst’s The Planets.
    Bob has performed in thousands of educational concerts throughout his career. He remembers fondly a performance of Sibelius’s Finlandia in Sparta, N.C., in which the kids at the school joined in with the Symphony, playing the piece’s well-loved melody on kazoo. More recently, he recalls performing Si Otsedoha (“We’re Still Here”) with the Cherokee Chamber Singers. The North Carolina Symphony commissioned William Brittelle to write the piece based on text provided by the students. Bob says, “Those were some of the most important, emotional performances we ever gave.” 
    Bob plans to spend his retirement combining international travel with household chores. On the docket are trips to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and Rennes, France, and clearing out his garage at home. “Of course The Price is Right is on at 11am and Jeopardy! is on at 7pm and should not be missed!” Bob exclaims.
    Bob would like to extend his thanks to the audiences and supporters across the state that he has met and entertained for 51 years.