Judson Baines

Recently appointed Assistant Principal Double Bass of the Charlotte Symphony, Judson Baines began playing music at the age of 9 with the electric bass before picking up the double bass in his public school at the age of 11. A native of North Carolina, he was born in Wilmington and raised in the Raleigh area, where he began his private studies with Bob Anderson of the North Carolina Symphony.   
 
Baines received his bachelor’s degree in Double Bass Performance from the University of North Texas in 2019, studying with Jeff Bradetich. Afterwards, he pursued a Master of Music degree for a year studying with Timothy Pitts at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music before winning his position with the CSO. Additional mentors include Paul Ellison, Craig Brown of the North Carolina Symphony, and Paul Sharpe, with whom he studied for a year at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts high school program in Winston-Salem, NC.   
 
Baines has spent several summers at music festivals across the country, including the Aspen Music Festival, Brevard Music Center, and the Wabass Institute for the 21st Century Bass Player, where he worked with Hal Robinson, Eric Larson, and Ranaan Meyer. While in school, he performed with the Fort Worth, San Angelo, and Shreveport symphonies.   
 
Outside of the orchestra, Baines loves to spend time with his family and friends. He also enjoys being outdoors, whether running, hiking, or biking. Having a keen interest in the music of J.S. Bach, Baines loves to explore creative solutions to navigate through the technical challenges that adapting his music to the bass (and other instruments) presents. He continues to play electric bass regularly and has an interest in writing music. He looks forward to continuing to learn and further developing himself as a musician with his colleagues in the Charlotte Symphony.   

What's your favorite thing about living in Charlotte? 

I think it's really awesome that I can be in my home state and have my family easily visit me and vice versa. I would also say meeting new people is a huge thing for me. I love people, and I really like to have genuine connections with good people. I enjoy being outdoors, so I will definitely be scoping out places to hike and bike, which I've heard there are plenty of in Charlotte. With pretty much any city, it's always fun to explore all the food and entertainment that gives it its character!