About me
Elena Bjuan is a versatile trumpet player who blends her classical background with a strong interest in improvisation. Deeply influenced by jazz, experimental soundscapes, and Valencian traditional music, she blends these elements into a distinctive and evolving musical language.
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. 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 position at the Musikschule Kurt Weill in Dessau-Roßlau (Germany) with an active freelance career as a performer, improviser, and creator.
As a freelance musician, she collaborates with a wide range of orchestras and ensembles, from symphony orchestras to historically/baroque Ensembles. Her collaborations include the Òpera del Liceu (Barcelona), Theater Altenburg-Gera, Sinfonia Leipzig, among others. Alongside her concert activity, she is deeply engaged in interdisciplinary projects, such as Wir Tanzen (2024) with choreographer Heike Henning, and regularly performs and collaborates with the organist Ivo Mrvelj.
Beyond the classical field, Elena has performed in various pop productions. She appeared as a trumpet player in ROSALÍA's LUX World Tour concerts in Berlin and Cologne (2026) and has collaborated on performances and recordings with artists and bands including GÖRDA and various singer-songwriters.
Her personal artistic projects:
• Elena Bjuan - Soloproject – an intimate solo project that brings together trumpet, voice, loops, and original compositions, offering a glimpse into her personal artistic universe.
• Neirah Duo – a collaboration with pianist Claudia Pallaver, exploring stories of remarkable women through classical repertoire, experimental improvisation, and original compositions.
• Flama Trio – a project centred on free improvisation, blending flamenco influences with contemporary and avant-garde approaches.
• Blechzeit Leipzig – a Leipzig-based brass quartet.
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