Rob Frear, Director of Brass Studies, Announces Retirement
The Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University Long Beach is proud to celebrate and announce the retirement of Rob Frear, Area Director of Brass Studies, after more than three decades of extraordinary service and leadership.
For 30 years, Rob has played a crucial role in shaping the BCCM and enriching the educational experience of countless students. As a teacher, mentor, performer, and leader, he has dedicated his career to fostering excellence in instrumental performance while inspiring generations of musicians to pursue their highest potential.
Rob’s impact on the Conservatory extends far beyond the classroom and rehearsal hall. Throughout his distinguished career, he has been a dedicated leader and advocate not only for the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, but for the University as a whole.
Rob served for nine years on the CSULB Research Foundation Board of Directors and completed three terms on the Academic Senate Executive Committee, helping to shape policies and initiatives that influenced the entire campus community. Within the Conservatory, he served as Area Director of Brass Studies for more than two decades and, in recent years, provided leadership as Area Director for both Brass and Woodwind Studies.
His commitment to service was extraordinary. Rob contributed his time, expertise, and thoughtful leadership to nearly every committee within the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music and the College of the Arts. Whether addressing curriculum, governance, strategic planning, faculty affairs, or student success, he was always willing to step forward, offer insight, and help move the institution forward. The breadth of his service reflects his deep dedication to the Conservatory, the College, and California State University Long Beach.
His unwavering commitment to student success, artistic achievement, and collegial collaboration has helped strengthen the reputation and vitality of the BCCM. Through his guidance, countless students have developed not only as musicians, but also as professionals and leaders in their own right.
His influence can be heard and seen in the accomplishments of alumni performing or teaching in orchestras, military bands, chamber ensembles, schools, and communities around the world. Equally important is the culture of excellence, integrity, and encouragement that he has cultivated throughout his tenure at the BCCM.
While we celebrate Rob’s well-earned retirement, we also recognize that his presence will be deeply missed. His expertise, dedication, humor, and friendship have made a lasting impression on colleagues, students, and the entire Conservatory community. On a personal note, Rob has been a friend and mentor from the moment I first stepped onto campus nearly fifteen years ago. That friendship and mentorship have only grown stronger with each passing year. When I assumed the role of Director, Rob became an invaluable sounding board and trusted bellwether as I navigated the challenges and opportunities that came across my desk.
I will deeply miss his willingness to encourage, challenge, and support me in my role as Director of the Conservatory. His wisdom, perspective, and unwavering commitment to our students, faculty, and programs have made him not only an exceptional colleague but also a treasured friend. While his retirement marks the end of an extraordinary chapter at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, his influence and legacy will continue to shape our community for years to come.
Please join us in congratulating Rob Frear on an exceptional career and thanking him for the three decades of remarkable service to the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music and California State University Long Beach. We wish him every happiness and success in this exciting new chapter and look forward to the lasting legacy he leaves behind.
Congratulations, Rob, and thank you for everything you have given to the BCCM and its students.
Dr. Jermie Arnold
Director, Bob Cole Conservatory of Music