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______Born
on an Air Force base hospital in Arizona, Robert began life serving his
country. As one of five children to now retired Colonel Art Aviles Sr.
of the United States Air Force, Robert was raised with a strong sense
of family unity and duty. It was this sense of family that helped sustain
him through a youth filled with constantly changing homes and lifestyles.
During his early years, Robert's family lived in such diverse locations
as England and Belgium before finally settling down in Huntington Beach
California in 1976. It was at this point that Robert developed a love
for the ocean. Even today, Robert still resides near the water in his
adopted hometown of Huntington Beach.
______Robert's
childhood revolved around most of the traditional California pastimes;
baseball, surfing & friends. Music was simply a background soundtrack
to his daily activities. With the exception of his enjoyment of the classical
works his parents constantly played, Robert showed little interest in
music at all. So it came as a complete surprise to his parents; and to
Robert himself, when at the age of 11 he announced at the dinner table
that he wanted to learn to play the violin. Despite a parent's n ormal
apprehensions about the transient nature of childhood whims, his father
quickly went out and bought Robert his first violin. Robert took to the
instrument like syrup to a pancake and the two have been inseparable since.
______ Outside of some basic elementary school
group classes, Robert's ability and style is completely self-taught. Robert
went on to perform for four years in his High School Orchestra and for
two years in the Huntington Beach Community Orchestra. Of course his obvious
music talent did not give him any respite from his regular studies, but
no matter, Robert excelled at these as well. He was selected as one of
the top 50 students of Chemistry in a national competition, tutored students
in Physics, Trigonometry, Chemistry, and Physiology. He received his AA
Degree from Orange Coast College and then went on to California State
University of Long Beach where he developed a new desire. He found a passion
for healing and so began pre-med studies to become a doctor. After four
years of medical courses though, Robert's attention returned to his first
love, music. He changed his major from Biology to Music. After two more
years of college study in Composition and Common Practice Theory, Dr.
Edith Smith singled out Robert for private tutelage, with an emphasis
on counter point and fugal composition. These private studies continued
for another two years, resulting in a Master's degree equivalent in Composition.
______It was during these college years that Robert began performing
with local groups. It was at one these early shows that Robert was asked
to play the solo to the then popular Kansas song "Dust in the Wind".
Immediately after this performance, Robert became enamored with the idea
of using his violin to create the sounds of the great rock guitar heroes
who predominated the music of the time. So he shifted to playing the relatively
new electric violin. By going "electric" Robert was able to
process the violin sound through different pieces of equipment to create
sounds reminiscent of these guitar slingers and yet wholly unique because
of the originating instrument. Not content there, Robert continued to
evolve his instrument to a five string and then a six string violin.
______Robert's abilities and interests in
music soon expanded beyond simply being a featured instrumentalist in
a band, to wanting to create his own group to perform the compositions
that he was creating. This led to the formation of Insight. The group
began as a three-piece combo of bass, drums and violin. Through the years
the band has mutated through several variations and members but always
the focus was on the musical style that Robert was innovating. The popularity
of Insight  found
them drawing sell-out audiences at mid-size venues throughout the late
80's and 90's and even led them to win in 1991 on the internationally
acclaimed show, ''Star Search''. Robert soon was attracting the attention
of many groups who wanted him to perform for their events worldwide. He
was asked to perform as an American Ambassador in New Zealand at the Christchurch
Civic auditorium for the Joy to the World Celebration. He helped usher
in the year 2000 in several concert performances in Melbourne, Australia.
He has received standing ovations from audiences of 60 to 80 thousand
in Winnipeg on Canada Day 2000. In addition Robert and Insight, have donated
recordings, proceeds, and performances for dozens of charitable causes
including Race for the Cure (Breast Cancer), The March of Dimes, The Children's
Hospital of Orange County, The Bolsa Chica Conservancy, The Huntington
Beach Community Hospital, Sierra Club, The Natural Resource Defense Council,
The Red Cross, Amnesty International and many more.
______The growth and popularity of Robert's music soon earned him
many corporate endorsements. Currently Robert is sponsored by Jordan Instruments,
maker of his "signature series" electric 7-string violins. Other
sponsors include Barrett Insturments, Super-Sensitive Strings, Zoom, and
A.G.I., developers and suppliers of the electronic components used in
Robert's violin.
As a recording artist, Robert has nearly two decades of experience in
composing, arranging, engineering, and producing. Robert has performed
as a session player on both piano and violin on  over
100 recording projects. His artistry can be heard on a Warner Bros. Instructional
video, motion picture sound tracks and National Geographic/Nature Channel
documentaries to name a few. Robert has a discography of over 30 CD's,
ranging from Progressive Rock, Classical, New Age, Lullaby, World, Inspirational
& Seasonal music. Most of his work is done from his own custom built
recording facility.
______Through this period, Robert has continued
his interest and education in healing. In 1992 he became a certified Reiki
healer and from 1993-94, Robert apprenticed under a Native American medicine
man, learning, and developing an understanding in working with healing
energies. In 1994 Robert started to study astrology. It was then that
he began to see the correlation that music had to energy and healing within
the human mind and body. He developed ''Star Songs'', whereby an individual
could have their astrological chart translated into a musical composition.
Each of these "Star Songs" is a completely unique and personal
work of art designed to re-enforce the recipient's energy and healing
potential. Robert also finds time to lecture on this topic as a key speaker
for many astrological conferences and workshops. Robert has also founded
Music Research Technologies; an organization devoted to the research of
combining music, healing, and spirituality. Robert also teaches and leads
large and small groups in Spiritual Awareness, Healing, and Meditation
classes. He also holds workshops in Cymatics, the study of the relationship
between sound and form, as well as in music, healing, and spirituality.
______Through it all, Robert has remained
a sincere and devout man. He always acknowledges his Creator as being
the source of all the gifts he has and is pledged to giving those gifts
back to any who want to receive them. A consummate performer, a brilliant
artist, and an honest man.
____________________
Contact
Robert at: Robert@raamusic.com
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