Robert de Bree is a Dutch oboist, recorder player, improviser, and teacher with a highly versatile international career. He has performed all over the world with leading orchestras and early music ensembles under renowned conductors, and regularly appears as a soloist in concertos by composers such as Bach, Vivaldi, Albinoni, and Marcello. Alongside standard repertoire, he is known for his imaginative solo programmes that combine classical music with storytelling, unusual instruments, and strong audience interaction. He performs regularly in major concert halls, festivals, and special cultural events.
As co–artistic director of The Scroll Ensemble, Robert focuses on the largely unexplored art of ensemble improvisation within classical music, combined with direct communication with audiences. The ensemble develops original programmes that bring classical improvisation into new contexts, including collaborations with writers, filmmakers, and theatre makers. Theatre and stage work form an important part of his career: he has appeared in numerous stage productions, music theatre projects, and feature films, often combining acting, movement, and live improvisation.
Robert is also prizewinner of several national and international competitions and has made a wide range of recordings for radio and major classical labels, including chamber music, opera, and orchestral repertoire. As a teacher, he is active in many fields: he is a principal recorder teacher at the conservatory in Utrecht, teaches historical improvisation in The Hague, and gives workshops and masterclasses worldwide. In addition, he teaches classical improvisation to amateur musicians and regularly leads public jam sessions.
Research and education are central to his work. He researches historical improvisation practices, speaks at international conferences, and publishes on the subject. He has also developed new educational methods for young children and regularly lectures on improvisation, practice techniques, and performance. Alongside his musical activities, Robert is active as a composer, arranger, ensemble leader, lecturer, and is continually expanding his artistic and pedagogical skills.
