Trumpet fuels Devin Robinson’s ambition

Devin Robinson discovered a passion for the trumpet as a young boy while watching the CBS Sunday Morning show. Now, the Yorktown High School senior hopes to pursue music performance on the trumpet in college.

YHS Band Director Emily Kluga said Robinson was “one of the most intensely focused music students” that she has worked with. Kluga recalled that as a freshman, Robinson very quickly found a home in the school’s band room.

“By the start of his junior year, [he] was absolutely obsessed with orchestral soundtracks to games and movies, spending hundreds of hours transcribing and arranging complete scores,” she said.

Yorktown News caught up with Robinson, who reflected on his musical journey and what’s next.

When did your interest in music begin? My interest in playing the trumpet first began when I was around 5, when my parents would watch the CBS Sunday Morning Show every week. The opening to the show features Wynton Marsalis playing Abblassen, an incredible trumpet fanfare that instantly caught my ear whenever I heard it.

Do you plan to continue music after high school? Yes, I plan on pursuing music performance on the trumpet after high school. I am currently auditioning at the Crane School of Music, Ithaca College, SUNY Fredonia and NYU.

Who inspires you? I'm inspired by many people, but musically, it would be Allen Vizzutti and John Williams. I admire Allen Vizzutti for his incredible skill on the trumpet, and John Williams for the fact that he's an incredible composer.

What makes music challenging? What makes playing the trumpet challenging is the amount of endurance it requires. Even though it can be painful sometimes (like when I play for too long), it all pays off in the end.

How do you spend your free time? I mainly spend my free time practicing and transcribing music (listening to it and writing it down). When I don't have anything in particular to work on, I am looking online for new songs to learn.

What are the top five songs on your playlist? “Waltz of the Mushroom Hunters” by Buddy Rich, “Kilimanjaro Cookout” by Buddy Rich, “The Imperial Probe” by John Williams, “Farthest Outpost” by Martin O'Donnell, “Reclaimer” by Martin O'Donnell (ft. Steve Vai)