Members' Pages - Robin Judd
                                                     
                                                                                                                                                
                                                                









































                                                                                                                              
                                                       
Cool Brass Quintet
                                                         

                                                                                        

Robin Judd began his musical studies at age 6 under the guidance of Eileen Reynolds (later to become Prof. Music, Royal Schools, UK). He excelled in piano

up to the final grade, passing all but one examination with distinction. He performed his first piano concerto at around 11 years.  At 13 he took up the oboe and played extensively with the Salisbury Municipal Orchestra, rising to Principal Oboe, while still in school shorts.  Later in life he performed an oboe concerto.

Robin's initial interest in brass was on the bugle with the school cadet band, where he also played the military fife.  He was the "school musician" and played at all their daily, and official functions and



shows. He also played in the orchestra pit for the all the Salisbury musical productions of that time.



In 1956 he was awarded a Royal Schools Bursary to study music further in London, but elected rather to pursue a career in Chemical Engineering which he read at the University of Cape Town. At University he ran the YMCA choir and fell in love with an Alto (named Valerie) whom he later married. He played piano for the University chapel and also ran a skittel-band/singing group, playing guitar and tea-box. After graduating first with a BSc(Chem Eng) and later a PhD, he worked and consulted as a Chemical Engineer in industry (AECI, Shell and Sasol) for half his life; the other half he spent teaching and researching both locally and abroad in Universities. His principal interests were in coal-derived fuels and a particular technology known as fluidisation, in which he achieved international recognition. He was author to about a 100 technical papers and 10 or 11 patents. During this time his musical activities took second place, but he played oboe for several years professionally (with the now-defunct Durban Philharmonic Orchestra). He also played reserve trumpet for several years with the Natal Philharmonic Orchestra and played in the pit for Playhouse musicals and for the ballet seasons.

In 1995, Robin retired and was accorded Emeritus Professorship, Chem Eng (UDW). His musical interests enlarged to playing Dixie trumpet with the Merrymakers, a Pinetown-based group, and now with the Cool Brass.  He has also revived an old skill in musical arrangements and has produced most of Cool Brass' extensive quintet arrangement library.

Robin uses his piano skills to accompany solo brass items as well as to accompany singers from within and outside of Cool Brass.