Robin Copas holds a Masters Degree in Cello Performance, and maintains an active performance career as both a symphonic and chamber musician. He has been teaching cello for more than 27 years to a large and loyal class of students that includes children, teens, adults and retirees who started studies with him as either brand new cellists or as more advanced players.
Robin has a wealth of orchestral and chamber music experience including recitals, festivals and performances around North America and Europe. A longtime resident of Vancouver, he is currently the Assistant Principal Cellist of the Lions Gate Sinfonia orchestra, and previously held the position of Principal Cellist of the Vancouver Island Symphony. He has also performed with most professional Symphonies in BC, along with major touring shows and productions. Robin has performed with artists ranging from opera legend Ben Heppner, to Smokey Robinson to Barbra Streisand. Additionally, he is the founder and leader of the Orca String Quartet.
Robin is a dedicated and passionate teacher, and being a part of a student’s discovery of their own potential and the pleasure they get out of this is an exciting and gratifying part of his work. He continually strives to keep teaching material at exactly the right level, such that it stretches and challenges the students without overwhelming them. It is his goal to not only teach cello students technical skills to make beautiful music, but even more so to develop a love and appreciation of music and apply that insight wherever they see fit.
While he recognizes that not all students participate in graded music events, his students have won music festival classes and achieved top Medal status in province-wide RCM exams. As a student himself, Robin also sat as Principal Cellist of both the Vancouver Youth and National Youth Orchestras, and graduated with Music degrees from both UVic and UBC.
Robin takes pride in discovering creative ways to motivate each individual student, whether adult or youth, discovering what works for them. He helps them set short term goals such as recitals, auditions, music exams and festivals, encourages them to participate in chamber groups and community orchestras, and also teaches them good practice skills and tools to self-motivate at home, which is integral to long-term success with the cello.