American violinist/violist conductor, teacher and composer Robert Mann was born in Portland, Oregon on July 19, 1920. He moved to New York in 1938 where he studied violin with Edouard Dethier at The Juilliard School. Mr. Mann won the prestigious Naumburg Competition in 1941 and made his debut in Town Hall. In 1946 Mr. Mann formed the Juilliard String Quartet and was the ensemble's first violinist for 51 years