As conductor and Academy Prep co-founder, Robert Anders left his mark

By Andrew Meacham

ST. PETERSBURG — Days, perhaps weeks, before a concert by his
choral group, director Robert Anders found a way to slip into the
venue and take a seat in the back. He imagined the Alumni Singers,
the group he led for 30 years, performing African-American
spirituals and a variety of other songs on stage.

In the dark, he could see the music taking shape.

Mr. Anders had a way of making visions come true. He taught or
served as an administrator in Pinellas County public schools for 30
years, wielding authority with a gentle but firm hand that inspired
loyalty from students.

In retirement, he and his wife, Barbara, also a career educator,
co-founded Academy Prep Center in St. Petersburg, a private school
targeting low-income students that has received high marks for its
graduation rates.

Mr. Anders stayed at the helm of the renowned Alumni Singers, a
group founded in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Gibbs
High School, for 30 years. He told the group to present themselves
as if they owned the stage, because they did.