Bob graduated from Los Medanos College in 1979 with his degree AA in Music. and Cal State Hayward in 1983 with his BA in Music Performance. While at CSUH he studied with Jack Van Geem (former Principal Percussionist with San Francisco Symphony) and Jerry Neff (former Principal Percussionist of The Oakland Symphony). He studied drum-set and Jazz Drumming for over 30 years under Chuck Brown. He has private teaching studios in Walnut Creek, House of Woodwinds in San Ramon, and Fiat Music in Pinole.

Bob was on the Faculty at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg for over 10 yrs, where he taught private students and directed the LMC Percussion Ensemble. He is currently Principal Percussionist for Vallejo Symphony Orchestra and has been Principal Percussionist, Personnel and Stage Manager for Diablo Symphony Orchestra for over 35 years. And is the Timpanist with the Walnut Creek Concert Band.

He is a long time permanent member of Pacific Sticks Percussion Ensemble and has played percussion concerts in hundreds of schools and performance venues all over the Bay Area and beyond with them. He also holds the principal drum chair with the Golden Gate Park Band, and for the SF Speakeasy, an immersive Theater show in San Francisco. Robert has been a featured soloist with numerous groups. You will find him playing with many other Symphonies, Bands, and Theater groups all around the Bay Area. For more you may visit his website roberthamaker.com