About me
Elena Bjuan is a versatile trumpet player who blends her classical background with a strong interest in improvisation. Her music moves between classical clarity and experimental freedom.
Born in Valencia, Spain, Elena Bañuls Juan (artistic name: Elena Bjuan) began her early trumpet studies at the Josep Climent d’Oliva Conservatory of Music, where she graduated with honors.
In 2016, she completed her Bachelor’s degree with Professor Mireia Farrés at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya in Barcelona, focusing on both classical and contemporary trumpet repertoire.
She went on to complete her Master’s degree in 2021 at the University of Music and Theatre “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy” in Leipzig, studying with Professor Guido Segers. During her Master’s, she also explored baroque trumpet with Professor Yosemeh Adjei, jazz trumpet with Martin Auer, and jazz singing with Professor Evelyn Fischer.
During her studies, Elena was a member of several youth orchestras and academies, including the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, the Netherlands Youth Orchestra (NJO), JONC (Spain), the Gustav Mahler Academy (Italy), and an academy with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra (Germany).
In 2017, she received the Concepción Merí scholarship from Pro Musica in Spain.
In 2020, she held a temporary position as co-soloist with the Altenburg-Gera Theatre Orchestra.
Foto: Peisen
Today, Elena combines her teaching at the Musikschule Kurt Weill in Dessau-Roßlau, Germany, with an active freelance career as a performer and creator. She collaborates with a wide range of orchestras and baroque ensembles, including the Òpera del Liceu (Barcelona) and Theater Altenburg-Gera, while also engaging in interdisciplinary artistic work such as her participation in the project Wir Tanzen (2024) with choreographer Heike Hennig or her collaborations with organist Ivo Mrvelj. Alongside her orchestral work, Elena develops several personal projects that reflect her interest in sound exploration and storytelling: Sideways, her intimate solo project; Neirah Duo, a collaboration with pianist Claudia Pallaver that tells stories of women through music; Flama Trio, focused on free improvisation with flamenco elements; and Blechzeit Leipzig, a brass quartet project.
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