Artist in Residence

The Academy Center of the Arts is proud to present the second year of the Artist in Residence program with this year’s artist Phinees “Phinestro“ Robert.

The Artist in Residency program allows artists the opportunity to engage with our audiences, students, and the Greater Lynchburg community by providing enriching experiences and messaging across our program initiatives.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Phinees Robert is a Haitian-American award-winning film composer and music producer renowned for his diverse musical talent and creative collaborations. His journey through the world of music began in the heart of the church, where he honed his skills, which eventually opened doors for him to work with many independent recording artists and world-renowned musicians.

Phinees’s exceptional talent soon caught the attention of globally recognized brands, leading to him contributing original music for Marvel, Sony Pictures’ Spiderman 2 DVD, Nike, Adidas, and Google, among others. One of his most remarkable achievements was co-producing the Billboard #1 World Chart project with K-pop sensation Red Velvet on the song “Talk To Me.” His music has reached 23 countries worldwide, earning performance royalties in various nations, including Mexico, New Zealand, South Korea, India, Japan, and more.

Furthermore, his accomplishments include collaborating with Shaking Hands & Music is Forever, contributing to the Emmy-nominated documentary “Unmarked,” and composing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and MLB’s opening season in 2020. He also achieved recognition for his work in the web 3 NFT space, collaborating on projects such as “Astro Dreams” and contributing to a 3D short film challenge by MacInnes Studios, sponsored by Epic Games, featuring immersive audio in Dolby Atmos.

In 2016, he moved his talent to Lynchburg, Virginia, where he joined forces with Blackwater Branding as Director of Multimedia. Leveraging his extensive background in teaching, project management, and problem-solving, he initiated various community-building events that blended music, art, education, tech, culture, and youth advocacy. His impactful endeavors included curating an annual Hip-Hop Jazz concert at Riverviews Artspace, facilitating workshops, and supporting Vector Space, YWCA, Speaker Tree, the Academy of Art, Downtown Lynchburg Association, The Listening Inc., the Boys and Girls Club, the Jubilee Center, and citywide initiatives like LYH Cares through creating compelling marketing video presentations.

Phinees’s global impact extends far beyond commercial success. His passion for creating safe, authentic, and collaborative communities is matched only by his dedication to enriching Lynchburg’s cultural tapestry. He facilitates authentic expression and community building through in-studio professional network events such as “Chat After 5” live podcast sessions, inviting clients and friends from around the world to experience Lynchburg. He’s also a member of the visionary and collaborative music group called SELAH VIE, contributing to memorable live music experiences throughout the city.

Phinees is dedicated to pushing boundaries advocating and empowering artists to find their unique voices in every space he occupies. Stay tuned for an exciting journey with Phinestro during his residency, where he continues to inspire and innovate to elevate Lynchburg’s cultural scene to the next level.

2022-2023 – Bosco Bae