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About Rob

Rob graduated from The Royal College of Music, studying under the tutelage of Mike Moran (Piano), Ralph Salmins (Drums) and Alex Neal (Percussion).

Rob regularly works in television, particularly on The X Factor  and Britain’s Got Talent, as both an Arranger and Pianist, and has also contributed arrangements to America’s Got Talent: The Champions  and X Factor Celebrity.  He was one of the Track Producers and part of the Music Team for The Masked Singer,  and has worked on America's Got Talent, Britain's Got Talent: The Champions, X Factor: The Band, All Together Now  and Celebrity All Together Now, and has been in the House Band/Associate Arranger for Bryn Terfel Scholarship  since 2017. 

Selected credits (live/studio/performing/arranging) include: Gary Barlow, Cee-Lo Green, Paloma Faith, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Joss Stone, Gabrielle, Russell Watson, Beverley Knight, Louis Tomlinson, Emma Bunton, Jools Holland, Alexandra Burke, Dizzee Rascall, Daniel Beddingfield, Megan McKenna, Tom Grennan, Dalton Harris, Rick Wakeman, Katherine Jenkins, Tony Hadley, Kwabs, Rachel Stevens, The Overtones, Jason Donovan, Sheridan Smith, Anggun, David Essex, Melody Thornton, Rak-Su, Amber Riley, Florence & The Machine, Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, Jeff Wayne, Simon Webbe, Alex James, Assala Nasri, Gareth Malone, Elli Ingram, Jimmy Nail, Denise Van Outen, Skin, Shane Richie, Martin Kemp, Shirlie Kemp, Bradley Walsh, Ruby Turner, Anthony Costa, Lee Ryan, Nicola Roberts, Justin Hawkins, Kelis, Amanda Holden, Shan Ako, Louise Redknapp, Alice Chater, Nathan James, Newton Faulkner, Adam Garcia, Roderick Dixon, Underworld  &  Dame Evelyn Glennie.  Orchestral & Ensemble work includes Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, London Metropolitan Orchestra  and The BBC Big Band. Composers and Producers that Rob has worked with include Alan Silvestri, Glenn Ballard, Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Brian Rawling, Paul Meehan, Nigel Wright, Andrew Lippa, Matthew Brind, Graham Stack  and Jeff Wayne.
Additionally, Rob was the Musical Director for The Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2019,  has performed at The Opening Ceremony London 2012 Olympic Games, the NME Awards  and contributed a co-arrangement to The Brit Awards.

Rob Eckland Headshot

Recently, Rob was the Arranger and Conductor on In The Swing Of It  for Martin  and Shirlie Kemp's  Big Band Album (released November 2019) and for Amanda Holden's  upcoming release in early 2020 - both produced by Grammy Award-Winning Brian Rawling and Paul Meehan at Metrophonic, for whom he was an Associate Arranger, Conductor and Pianist on albums for Leading Ladies  and Anton Du Beke  (featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra  and BBC Big Band,  assisting Matthew Brind),  Pianist on Emma Bunton’s  latest release and contributed Arrangements on Silent Night: A Song For The World,  with Joss Stone and Anggun.  He has recorded and/or conducted sessions at some of London’s top Studios, including EMI Abbey Road, Angel, RAK and British Grove. Rob was also one of the Track Producers for Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals 2019  and Rip It Up 70s,  and recently completed 45 minutes of music for Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s  ‘Symphonic 80s Spectacular’ Prom in the Park. Rob is the Musical Supervisor/Track Producer for Remembering The Oscars  for Aljaz Skorjanec  and Janette Manrara.

In 2018, Rob played Keyboards in the UK Arena Tour of Jeff Wayne’s  40th Anniversary of The War Of The Worlds  and in early 2019 joined Brendan Cole  on his Showman  tour.

West-End credits include Dreamgirls, Motown: The Musical  and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie  as Associate Conductor. He has held chairs on The War of the Worlds  and Stephen Ward,  and has also deputised on Beautiful, The Bodyguard, Bat Out Of Hell  and Thriller: Live.  He is also currently playing Keyboards on the smash-hit Back To The Future.

Rob was the Associate MD for the UK and European leg of Inala  (featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo),  MD on UK Tours of Soul Sister  and Dancing In The Streets  (including Additional Arrangements for USA/Canada Tour) and Orchestrator for Grease  at the Ljubljana Festival. He has also deputised on UK Tours of Rip It Up  and Sound Of The 60s: Live with Tony Blackburn.  Further to this, Rob is the Musical Director for TBI Media's Magic at the Movies,  and plays Keyboards for the annual Magic at the Musicals,  broadcast from the Royal Albert Hall in London for Magic FM, where he has performed with an array of West-End stars in a 60-piece Orchestra, including Marisha Wallace, Ricardo Afonso, Kerry Ellis, Cassidy Janson, Ben Forster, Louise Dearman, Ruthie Henshall, John Owen-Jones  and Ramin Karimloo.

Rob has proudly arranged, recorded and fixed studio musicians for over 35 successful productions at ted  for their shows worldwide, alongside many other large-scale projects for Guest Acts & Artists performing all over the World.

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Rob is a consummate all-round Musician who is equally at home on Keyboards in a Rhythm Section, Arranging or acting as Musical Director. He 
is unquestionably one of the brightest new talents on the London scene.

Ralph Salmins - Leading UK Session Musician

Rob has worked for me on a number of projects for TV, Commercial Release and Stage, including Britain’s Got Talent, America's Got Talent and X Factor. His arrangements are exemplary in any style that I throw at him, whilst more often than not having to meet very imminent deadlines. Further to this, he is also a fantastic Piano player, with superb feel and groove.

Matthew Brind - Composer/Arranger/Orchestrator

I’ve worked with Rob for a number of years, both as a player and under his Musical Direction. As a Pianist, he has great time and feel. As an Arranger, his charts are absolutely brilliant; his take-downs are immaculate, but he also knows when to allow the musician the ‘freedom to play’. Added to this, he’s a good bloke, who makes sure that there is a strong balance between hard work and keeping morale high.

Adam Goldsmith — Leading UK Session Musician

Rob very quickly gained the trust of all concerned including the already seasoned musicians. He has an innate musicality that goes beyond training. His playing is exceptional and he has a superb ‘feel’ for the music in the show. Added to this he has a very easy going nature and natural leadership qualities. These combine to make Rob a person that everyone both likes and respects. I trust him implicitly and would have no hesitation in recommending him for any musical directing job.

Keith Strachan - Musical Supervisor/Composer