Arthur Roberts

Arthur Roberts was born in New York in 1912. He studied piano at the Manhattan School of Music, graduating with a diploma in 1933, the same year he earned a master’s degree in physics from Columbia University. He also studied composition under Hugh Ross and Quincy Porter while at the Manhattan School of Music. He chose to pursue physics professionally while continuing music as a personal passion. Roberts worked at the University of Chicago physics department and at Argonne and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratories, where he contributed to radar technology during World War II, including flying to Britain to aid in defense efforts. He was also involved in writing music for scientific films, including the award-winning The Many Faces of Argonne. Roberts was instrumental in founding the Music Theater of Hyde Park in Chicago, supporting the local arts scene. 

Alongside his scientific career, Roberts composed over a hundred songs, many themed around physics, that combined wit and insight to make complex scientific ideas both accessible and engaging. He wrote computer-generated music using early digital synthesizers such as the CDC-3600, including works like the Sonatina for CDC-3600 and music for the film Link, recorded by members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Roberts collaborated closely with scientists and musicians alike, including George Treseel at Argonne, who commissioned music for scientific films. His musical output reflected a unique fusion of science and art, appreciated by colleagues who shared his love of classical music. Notable among his compositions is Take Away Your Billion Dollars, a witty critique of postwar big science funding that captures his skepticism about institutional priorities in research. He was a pioneer in early computer music, working with rare and expensive technology such as early digital-to-analog converters, which posed significant technical challenges at the time. Roberts’s work is preserved through recordings and archives, recognized for its pioneering role in computer music and its witty engagement with physics. He passed away in Honolulu in 2004.