Staff Spotlight: Bob Borden
Performer, Educator, Music Maker
You may have seen him playing the bass or keyboards on stage or spotted him at a donor event. You may have also watched him on the podium for a performance you enjoyed. And if you were to wander backstage at a Philharmonic concert, you would find him waiting to assist with one of the many unseen tasks that happen behind the scenes. Mr. Bob Borden is by all accounts a renaissance man. Musician, educator, music librarian, administrator. His quiet exterior hides a deep appreciation for performance and classical music and dedication to making it all happen.
While a Tuba major at the University of Kentucky, he also studied Music Education and took double bass lessons throughout. He then earned his Master’s from Miami University in Ohio. And for thirty-seven years, Bob taught strings students not just to play instruments but also to develop an appreciation of music.
Throughout his career, his dedication to music education also led him to act as a sectional coach for various schools, youth orchestras, and orchestra events and contests. Bob retired to Spartanburg in 2015 to be closer to family, and he regularly subs at District Five, Six, and Seven schools - continuing to educate students as he has his entire career.
As a bass player, Bob was also a member of several orchestras throughout his career. His longest tenure of 35 years was with the Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra in Ohio while also acting as the music librarian for 16 years. Classical is not the only type of music Bob performs and has played both bass and keyboard for over 50 musicals, conducting another 28.
Officially, Bob is the part-time Music Librarian for the Spartanburg Philharmonic, but his service to the community does not end there. Along with Mrs. Helen Tipton, he donates time each week to act as Co-Manager for the Spartanburg Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (SPYO). In addition, he prepares all of the music for the entire four-week Masterworks Festival at Converse University each year.
Most Sunday afternoons, Bob can be found in Blackman Music Building at Converse University, welcoming SPYO students and assisting with rehearsals. As a bass player by training, Bob frequently works closely with the bass students in both the Senior and Junior ensembles - leading sectional rehearsals at least once per concert cycle. As Co-Manager, Bob also provides valuable administrative support to the SPYO Team and lending his skills as a Music Librarian.
While he may not regularly perform as a musician nor spend every day in a classroom, Bob Borden’s retirement is still filled with the work of making music. As Music Librarian, he is an integral part of the Spartanburg Philharmonic team. His experience as a performing musician is a vital part of his job, as he understands firsthand how ill-prepared sheet music can cause problems in rehearsals and concerts. And while most of Bob’s work takes place behind the scenes, it is crucial, detailed work that contributes to the production of the exceptional concerts you experience each time you join the Spartanburg Philharmonic audience.