Bio

Raised in Rochester, New York, trumpeter, pianist, composer, and educator Max Robbins developed a strong foundation in both classical and jazz music. He received an honors diploma from the Eastman Community Music School, where he studied with faculty from the Eastman School of Music and musicians of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

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During his pre-college years, Max was a member of both the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and the Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra, principal trumpet of the NYSSMA All-State and NAfME All-National Orchestras, and performed with the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Young Artist Orchestra.

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Max graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Trumpet Performance. During his time there, he wrote and recorded original music with School of Drama students and jazz faculty.

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Max then completed a master's degree in Human Development and Education with a concentration in Arts in Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2022.  

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While living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he performed regularly at venues such as Mad Monkfish, the Lilypad, Harvard University, and the Berklee College of Music. He also worked as a teaching artist with the American Repertory Theater, where he wrote and performed an original children's musical for its youth program.

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In 2025, Max released his debut album, Spellbound, a collection of original compositions featuring pianist Sam Chandler. His writing draws inspiration from both jazz and musical theater.

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Now based in Rochester, Max performs throughout the region as a freelance musician. He is especially active in jazz duo settings at wineries, restaurants, breweries, private events, and also performs as a wedding pianist for ceremonies and receptions. 

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His performance credits include the Rochester International Jazz Festival and the pit orchestra at Rochester's Geva Theatre Center, and he frequently collaborates with Eastman School of Music faculty and other musicians throughout the Rochester community.

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In addition to performing, Max maintains a private trumpet studio and coaches the Eastman Community Music School's New Horizons Jazz Ensemble.