Robert Barto graduated from the University of California, San Diego, having specialized in historical lute performance. A Fulbright scholarship brought him to Europe, where he continued his studies with Michael Schaeffer in Cologne and Eugen Dombois in Basle.

In 1984, he was awarded first prize at the International Lute Competition in Toronto, as well as top prize in a competition of all the instrumental soloists at the Musica Antiqua Competition in Bruges, Belgium.

Robert Barto has performed throughout Europe and North America, including solo recitals in the Festival of Flanders, London's Purcell Room, the Utrecht Festival and the "Music Before 1800" event in New York City. In 2000 he gave solo performances at the Lufthansa Baroque Festival in London, Bavarian Radio's Bach Night in Munich and presented a special tribute to Silvius Weiss for the city of Dresden.

On Naxos, Robert Barto's six volumes of baroque lute sonatas by Silvius Weiss and a CD of the complete solo works of Bernhard Hagen - recordings that have met with great enthusiasm from critics and the buying public alike.