Role at PIMS
Rector
Primary Area
Ensemble Music
Father Robert Mehlhart OP completed his studies in Regensburg, Oxford, and Vienna, collaborating with Nikolaus Harnoncourt at major European festivals, and has recorded for Resonando and Sony Classical International. In 2023, he was appointed Rector of the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music in Rome.
He directs the PIMS Cappella at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Since 2012, he has been the Director of Music at the Theatiner Church in Munich, where he leads the choir and orchestra during liturgies, concerts, and radio broadcasts.
He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Sacred Music from the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna, as well as a doctorate in Musicology and a Master of Theology from the University of Vienna. He has taught at the University of Music and Theatre in Munich. In Regensburg, he studied under the guidance of Mons. Georg Ratzinger.
He is a composer of various liturgical works, and his initiative “Let’s sing with the Pope” has surpassed 4 million views on Instagram.
Research Interests
- Ensemble Music
- Gregorian Chant
- Sacred Music of the 16th century
Publications (selected)
- How to sing Dominican Chant – An Immersive Introduction (2026)
- Triduum ante Pascha
- German/Latin liturgical book for Theatinerkirche Munich; edited with Innocent Smith OP (2020)
- Beyond the O Lumen – notes on St. Dominic’s antiphon, CLIOP, Rivisita della Commissione Internazionale Liturgica dell’Ordine Domenicano, Roma, 14, 2017
Concerts and Masterclasses (selected)
- Online tutorials: “Let’s sing with the Pope”. Online plainchant tutorials on social media and YouTube, 4 million views on Instagram on 1 June 2025
- Lecture: “From Plainchant to Polyphony.” Presentation and concert at Ralston College, Savanna, United States (19 February 2025)
- Lecture: “Stabat Mater.” Presentation and concert at Ralston College, Savanna, United States (19 February 2024)
- Lecture: “Only the Lover Sings: How Plainchant Arouse out of Polyphony.” Presentation and concert at Ralston College, Savanna, United States (22 February 2023)
- Leader of Cantatorium at the Overture Spirituelle of the Salzburg Festival 2023 with Camerata Salzburg, Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks and Manfred Honek
- Leader of the International Section of the Extraordinary Music Workshop, Krakow, Poland (3–9 July 2023; 14–21 August 2022; 16–22 August 2021)
- Paper: “Contemporary Vocal Music in Catholic Liturgy: Creators, Spaces, and Sounds in Germany.” Presentation at the conference Modern Sacred Music, The Pontifical University of John Paul II, Krakow, Poland (21 November 2022)
- Paper: “Prioress, Reformer and Scribe: Anna Zinner and the Altenhohenau Graduals.” Presentation at the 2022 Medieval and Renaissance Music Conference (MedRen), Uppsala, Sweden (4–7 July 2022)
- Paper: “L’antifona di San Domenico: O Lumen ecclesiae.” Online presentation in Italian, Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome, Italy (20 February 2021)
- Member of the Jury at the National Choir Directors’ Competition 2021 (Chorleitungswettbewerb Spitzenklänge). University for Church Music Rottenburg-Stuttgart (30–31 July 2021)
- Paper: “Gaudent Chori caelestium: The musical frescoes of San Marco, Florence.” Online presentation for the Annual Conference of the International Society for the Study of Medieval Theology (IGTM), University of Copenhagen (24 July 2021)
- Paper: “Melodic and Textual Adaptation in O Lumen Ecclesiae.” Presentation at the conference Dominicans and the Liturgy in Medieval Paris, Columbia University Global Center, Paris, France (5 April 2019)
Recordings (selected)
- Missa Papae Marcelli (Resonando – 2026)
Robert Mehlhart, Vokalkapelle der Theatinerkirche, Christian Eglhuber, Riccardo Ricci - Meditations – Chants & Piano (Sony Classical — 2023)
Tim Allhoff, Robert Mehlhart, Cantatorium - Herz & Mund (Resonando — 2021)
Robert Mehlhart, Vokalkapelle der Theatinerkirche, La Banda - Johann Sebastian Bach: Cantata „Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben“
- Antonio Giuseppe Bernabei: „Missa Venatorum“
Edition of Bernabei Mass and booklet texts by Christian Leitmeir, Magdalen College, University of Oxford - Mathias Rehfeldt: Oratio (2020)
Robert Mehlhart, Vokalkapelle der Theatinerkirche, Orchester von St. Kajetan
Commission and first performance as digital production (YouTube) - Orlando di Lasso: Missa Cantorum, Missa Venatorum, Magnificat Octavi Toni (Resonando — 2020)
Robert Mehlhart, Vokalkapelle der Theatinerkirche, Christian Eglhuber
Premiere recording of Missa Cantorum - Advent und Weihnachten (Lieder und Tänze) (Resonando — 2019)
Robert Mehlhart, Vokalkapelle der Theatinerkirche, Gambenconsort
Daces taken from Terpsicore Musarum by Michael Praetorius and arranged by Robert Mehlhart - Claudio Monteverdi: Selva Morale e Spirituale, Magnificat Secondo – Messa a 4 da cappella (Resonando — 2017)
Robert Mehlhart, Vokalkapelle der Theatinerkirche, Johanna Soller
Compositions (selected)
- Adoro te Devote for mixed choir and descant
First performance: 27 October 2025 in Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome - Wedding anthem for mixed choir and orchestra
First performance: 20 May 2023, Theatinerkirche Munich, Germany - Adoro te devote for mixed choir, organ and instrument ad libitum
First performance: 8 December 2022, Theatinerkirche Munich, Germany - Magnificat anima mea for double choir
First performance: 8 December 2022 in Theatinerkirche Munich, Germany - Halleluja, Das ist der Tag for mixed choir and orchestra
First performance: 2 October 2021, Theatinerkirche Munich, Germany. Recipient of the third prize from the National Composer Competition „Halleluja 2022“. Published by Sankt Michaels Bund, Munich, Germany, 2022 - Psalm 148: “Praise him you shining stars” for organ und soprano
First performance May 2021 in Passau, Germany - Missa di San Domenico a 3
First performance: February 2021 for the Dominican nuns at Monte Mario, Rome, Italy - Adoro te Devote a 3
First performance: January 2021 in Basilica Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome, Italy - Psalm 9: “With all my heart” for organ and voice
First performance 11 June 2020 in Theatinerkirche Munich - Missa in tempore coronae for organ and voice
First performance 24 October 2020 in Theatinerkirche Munich - De Sancto Georgio for four equal voices
First performance 2019 in the chapel of the Munich Residence - Justus ut palma florebit for four equal voices
First performance in spring 2017 in the chapel of the Munich Residence - Missa “O Lumen” for mixed choir
First performance 8 August 2016 in Theatinerkirche Munich; composed for the 800th anniversary of the Order of Preachers)