Biography

Originally from Elgin, Moray, Martin learned to play the Euphonium through the Council’s Music Education Scheme. He played with Moray Concert Brass and Moray Senior Windband, and in 2011 moved to Edinburgh to study at St Mary’s Music School.

Alongside his Euphonium studies at St Mary’s, Martin won the SMMS Concerto Competition. He has performed concertos and solo pieces across the UK; as a soloist with various brass bands as well as performing in his trombone quartet, Aeris Brass with fellow Dewar Awardee Adam Crighton. Together they have both performed alongside Carol Jarvis, John Kenny, Mike Lovatt, Rex Richardson, Glenn Munro, Susan Hamilton, Emily White and Rick Taylor.

Martin co-founded jazz tuba duo ‘Dopey Monkey’ with tuba player Danielle Price, exploring a more contemporary side to their instruments. He is also one of the founders of the ‘Old Fountain Jazz Orchestra’ –  a big band featuring musicians from conservatoires across UK. The orchestra raise money for various charities and provide an educational resource for areas where there is no jazz education.

As part of New Orleans style jazz band ‘The Old Jelly Rollers’, Martin and six fellow musicians raised money to go to New Orleans. There they interviewed various jazz legends, to educate themselves and others about the origins of jazz music.

In 2015, Martin gained a place to study at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London. This offered him the chance to study under tuba soloist Oren Marshall, which had been his dream.  The BMus Jazz course offered him the perfect opportunity to advance his skills to the next level and pursue a career as a euphonium artist.

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How the Award Helped