Spencer Robelen

As a New York-based composer, lyricist, and playwright, Spencer Robelen thrives at the intersection of the heartfelt and the absurd. Whether he’s writing musicals, plays, podcasts, or concert music, Spencer is always telling deeply emotional stories with a touch of whimsy.

Originally from South Florida, Spencer received his Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, where he studied with Dorothy Hindman. He also served as president of the Miami Chapter of the Society of Composers Incorporated, where he produced several concerts, fundraisers, and collaborative performances to help emerging composers network with other artists and share new music with the community.
Spencer later moved to New York City and received his Master of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre Writing from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where he studied with numerous Tony Award-winners including William Finn, Rebecca Taichman, Rachel Sheinkin, and Steven Lutvak.

Since then, Spencer’s songs, musicals, and ballets have been heard in notable venues across New York City, including Birdland Jazz Club and the Green Room 42. His song, “Grandma’s Cooking,” written for Broadway star Devin Ilaw, debuted at 54 Below and was later performed at the Catalina Jazz Club in Los Angeles. “Open Air,” a notoriously catchy song he co-wrote with Erin J. Reifler, debuted off-Broadway at Signature Theatre as part of the 2019 New York Musical Festival. The world premiere of Androids, his song cycle about robots learning to cope with human experiences, sold out the historic Duplex Cabaret in Greenwich Village.

His most recent musical, Overtures, tells the story of the doomed relationship between composer Hector Berlioz and actress Harriet Smithson in 19th century Paris. The show received a reading at the Producers Club Theaters in 2023 and was added to the official archives of the Musée Hector-Berlioz in France.

Spencer’s concert music and film scores have been performed by various ensembles across the world, including the Factory Arts Ensemble, Pulse Chamber Music, the Lunar Ensemble, the Frost Symphony Orchestra, and the Florida Youth Orchestra. His string quartet, Frog at the Pond, was selected for the 2013 Festival Miami Emerging Composers Concert, and his choral piece, Like an Eagle, was a finalist in the highly competitive 2014 Chanticleer LAB Choir Composer Competition.

As a playwright, Spencer has received several honors for his one-act shows. His coming-of-age comedy, The Wheels Go Round and Round, is published by YouthPLAYS and has been performed in Canada and South Africa in addition to the U.S. He also wrote and produced several audio plays and musicals for his podcast Spencer Robelen Presents during the first two years of the Covid-19 pandemic. He has appeared as a guest on other theatre podcasts including The 10glo Show and The Latest Draft.

Spencer has taught educational workshops at New York University and the School of Visual Arts. He has also served as a music director for the Lovewell Institute for the Creative Arts, a nonprofit that empowers young adults through the collaborative creation and performance of original works of theatre.

Most recently, Spencer produced and hosted The Hitchcock Gays, a podcast exploring queer themes and gay characters in the films of Alfred Hitchcock. He is also a proud volunteer with the Queer Urban Orchestra—playing violin, writing program notes, or judging for competitions.