Martin Pajumaa
Solo Trumpet Kammerphilharmonie Graubünden
“In Pajumaa’s performance, the trumpet’s convincing command of musical qualities stood out, betraying masterly and ample technical reserves.”
“He is probably one of the youngest authors to have been featured at the Song Celebration.”
Translated from Estonian
An American in Paris
Listen to my performance of this iconic trumpet solo in George Gershwin's "An American in Paris", which I performed at the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra's New Year's Concert on 1 January 2024.
About me
Martin Pajumaa is an Estonian trumpet player and the designated Solo Trumpet of Kammerphilharmonie Graubünden (Switzerland, starting December 2025).
Previously, he was a member of the Estonian National Opera Symphony Orchestra, and has since also performed with Sinfonieorchester Basel, Luzerner Sinfonieorchester (Brass Ensemble), Gstaad Festival Orchestra, European Union Youth Orchestra and Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. As a soloist, he has appeared with the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and Junge Philharmonie Zentralschweiz, and has worked under conductors such as Jaap van Zweden, Antonio Pappano, Manfred Honeck, and Neeme Järvi.
Alongside his performance career, Martin is also active as an arranger and composer. His orchestrations are regularly performed by professional orchestras and have been featured at events such as the Estonian and Latvian Youth Song Celebrations.
He is currently continuing his musical development at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, studying with Immanuel Richter and Huw Morgan.
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Martin Pajumaa is an Estonian trumpeter, currently designated Solo Trumpet of Kammerphilharmonie Graubünden (Switzerland, from December 2025) and studying trumpet at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts with Immanuel Richter and Huw Morgan. He is a prize-winner of numerous competitions and has taken part in masterclasses with Omar Tomason, Miroslav Petkov, Uwe Köller and Hannes Läubin, Jeroen Berwaerts, among others.
As an orchestral musician, Martin Pajumaa has worked with the Estonia National Opera Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonieorchester Basel, Luzerner Sinfonieorchester and the Gstaad Festival Orchestra and has played with the European Union Youth Orchestra. He regularly freelances with professional Estonian and Swiss orchestras and ensembles and has collaborated with conductors such as Jaap van Zweden, Antonio Pappano, Manfred Honeck, Neeme Järvi, Sir Mark Elder, Arvo Volmer, Olari Elts, Tõnu Kaljuste and Risto Joost.
Martin is an avid chamber musician, he is a member of the brass ensemble Tuulisbrass and has performed with the Estonian Academic Brass Quintet. He is dedicated to presenting Estonian music, performing music by composers such as Tõnu Kõrvits, Eino Tamberg, Rein Rannap, Peeter Vähi, Erich Jalajas, Uno Naissoo and Hillar Kareva. In February 2024 he premiered the original piano version of Ülo Vinter's Trumpet Concerto.
In addition to his work as a trumpeter, Martin is also a composer and arranger, with projects with the Estonian National Opera, the Pärnu City Orchestra and the Tallinn Police Orchestra. In the summer of 2023, his orchestration of the piece "Little House by the Sea" was performed at the Youth Song Celebration, and the same piece will be performed at the Latvian Youth Song Celebration in 2025.
As a composer, Martin's most extensive work to date, "as I walk past the street…" (2021/2024) for brass quintet and percussion, has been performed in Estonia and Sweden, and recorded by Tuulisbrass ("Estonian Music for Brass", 2023).
Martin began his trumpet studies at the age of seven at the Tabasalu Music School under the tutelage of Valdo Rüütelmaa, and later continued his studies at the Tallinn Music High School in Indrek Vau's trumpet class. In 2023, he graduated from Tallinn College of Music and Ballet with the highest distinction.