James Robins
holds Bachelor of Music and Master of Arts Degrees in Music Education from the
University of New Hampshire. He has been director of bands at Hampstead Middle
School in Hampstead, NH since 2000 where he directs 3 concert bands and a jazz
band and teaches classes in guitar and general music. Under his direction, the HMS ensembles have
performed to high acclaim at state and regional festivals perennially earning
rave reviews from adjudicators. In 2017, he was named Outstanding Band Director by the New Hampshire Band Directors' Association.
Mr. Robins is also a frequent faculty member at the Summer
Youth Music School (SYMS) held each summer on the campus of the University of
New Hampshire. Frequently called to hear
jazz trombone auditions at the high school camp, he has directed all three
levels of jazz bands at the middle school camp, conducted brass and percussion
sectionals and taught trombone master classes at both the middle and high
school camp. Jim has also taught classes in beginning trombone, beginning jazz
improvisation and computer-based music notation.
Jim is an active adjudicator and trombone clinician
throughout New Hampshire and Southern Maine.
He is an active member of the NH Music Educators’ Association for which
he has served as band manager for the Jazz All-State Festival, coordinator for
the Southeast District Middle School Festival and will begin his term as Middle
School Festival Chair in the spring of 2017. He has also frequently been called to hear
trombone auditions for both Jazz and Classical All State. He is also a member of the National Band
Association, the New Hampshire Band Directors’ Association and a life member of
Kappa Kappa Psi – National Honorary Band Fraternity.
Mr. Robins performs frequently on trombone throughout New
England. He is currently a member of the
Durham, NH based Seacoast Big Band and the Portland (ME) Jazz Orchestra and can
be found on the stages of weddings and corporate functions as part of the horn
section Brass Attitude. He has performed
with notable jazz musicians Clark Terry, Slide Hampton, Jimmy Heath, Bob
Wilber, Louie Bellson, Phil Wilson, Ingrid Jensen, Bud Shank, Richie Cole, Jay
Ashby and many others. He has also
frequented the stage with OURBIGBAND!, the Freese Brothers Big Band, the Lakes
Region Big Band and Compaq Big Band. As
a 10 year member of the regionally popular show band Groove Alliance, Jim had
the opportunity to travel to Baghdad, Iraq for a week in 2007 to perform for US
troops and workers in the Iraqi capital.
Jim was also a founding member of New England’s only tribute to the
music of Chicago, Introduction – the Chicago Experience.
Jim lives in Dover, NH and enjoys spending his free time
with his wife Gina and his two daughters, Kaela and Paige.