Teaching is touching a life for life. By sharing knowledge in analysis, chamber music, composition, choral and orchestral conducting, counterpoint, French language for singers, written and practical harmony, Robert strives to equip his students with the desire to learn and to appreciate the process of learning to think independently and become lifelong learners. Born in Belgium, based in Singapore since 1994 where he accepted citizenship in 2007, Robert believes in giving back to society. He has conducted, performed and organized concerts in prisons, hospitals, for charities and fundraising galas. Robert has served on many arts related committees and judging panels.

Robert specializes in cross-disciplinary and multi-cultural composition. He is one of those composers whose music makes an immediate impact on the audience. His compositional trademark is the organic combination of European and non-European instruments. His growing corpus of 150 musical works cross cultures, genres and disciplines. His research in these areas includes successful collaborations with architects, sonic and installation artists, radio astronomers, biologists, cardiologists, economists, linguists, ornithologists, painters, poets and sculptors, as well as with Burmese, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean and Mongolian musicians. Robert’s research has been recognized with the Christoffel Plantin Prize, Flanders highest award.

Casteels has conducted professional orchestras in European and Asian countries in a repertoire of 600 works ranging from the early classics to contemporary music, from symphonic to vocal and dance repertoire. He truly believes in new music, has commissioned and/or premiered many compositions.
 
As a much sought after chamber music pianist and vocal accompanist, Casteels has performed with many instrumentalists and singers.

Reading, philately and hiking in the mountains are Robert’s favourites hobbies.

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