Rob Moose


Rob Moose is an American multi-instrumentalist, arranger, producer, conductor, and orchestrator. He primarily plays the violin, viola, and guitar.

Early life and education

Moose was born in 1982. He was raised in Windsor, Connecticut and learned piano and violin at The Hartt School. He attended the Loomis Chaffee School through 10th grade, before moving with his family to Moorestown, New Jersey. He completed high school at Moorestown Friends School, graduating in 2000. Moose studied violin at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. He began a master's program in American studies at Columbia University, but left to join Antony and the Johnsons on tour in 2005.

Career

Moose met Sufjan Stevens in 2004 after being introduced to him by Shara Worden, who was then a member of Stevens' touring band. Moose contributed violin to Stevens' album Illinois.
Moose has performed with Sufjan Stevens, The National, Glen Hansard, Blake Mills, Beth Orton, and My Brightest Diamond. He has played viola for Jay-Z and violin for Savion Glover, Josh Groban, Vampire Weekend, and Duncan Sheik. Since 2019, Moose has contributed musical analysis of popular songs to the HeadGum podcast Punch Up the Jam.
Moose has contributed to three benefit albums by Red Hot Organization, including interpreting Johann Sebastian Bach piano works as a duo with mandolinist Chris Thile on Red Hot + Bach.

Instrumentalist

As a violinist and violist, Moose has performed on close to 300 albums, including albums by artists such as Alabama Shakes, John Legend, and Joshua Bell. He appeared on the Grammy Award-winning albums by Loudon Wainwright III and The Suburbs by Arcade Fire.

Arranger

Moose has worked as a music arranger for records by numerous artists including The Decemberists, Interpol, The National, Jim James, St. Vincent, tUnE-yArDs, LeAnn Rimes, They Might Be Giants, Laura Marling, Trey Anastasio, and Punch Brothers.

Conductor

In 2007, Moose made his debut as a conductor and orchestrator in a performance with Sufjan Stevens at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Opera House. He was the conductor on Antony and the Johnsons' live album Cut the World. He has worked as a condutor at numerous venues, including the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Royal Opera House.

yMusic

Moose is a founding member of the New York sextet chamber ensemble yMusic. Moose formed yMusic with trumpeter CJ Camerieri in Brooklyn in 2008. The ensemble consists of a trumpet, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, and cello. As of 2020, yMusic has released five studio albums. yMusic play classical and pop music compositions and also assist other artists in adding classical elements to their music.

Bon Iver

In 2011, Moose joined Bon Iver. He contributed musical arrangements and recorded strings for the group's self-titled sophomore album, Bon Iver. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2019. The album won Best Alternative Music Album at the 2012 Grammy Awards, while the band won Best New Artist for their work on it. Moose toured with Bon Iver, including performing four sold-out concerts at Radio City Music Hall and an appearance on Saturday Night Live. Bon Iver's third studio album, 22, A Million, featured Moose's violin and viola arrangements on "22 " and saxophone arrangements by Moose throughout. Moose contributed to the band's fourth studio album, I, I. 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".

Production

Moose has worked as a producer on Ben Folds' So There, Gabriel Kahane's The Ambassador, Time for Three's 2014 eponymous debut album, and My Brightest Diamond's All Things Will Unwind.