Born in Edinburgh, Nigerian–Scottish trumpeter Aaron Azunda Akugbo is developing a following as a leading exponent of his instrument. He brings a musical breadth to his artistry and while classically trained in both trumpet and singing, cites Louis Armstrong as his biggest musical inspiration. He is a charismatic performer with an abundance of natural humour, which translates into an effortless engagement with colleagues and audiences.

Akugbo made his London concerto debut at the Royal Festival Hall in 2020 and his BBC Proms concerto debut in 2023, performing the Haydn Trumpet Concerto both times with Chineke!, Europe’s first black and minority ethnic orchestra. His concerto performances often feature standard works alongside lesser-known pieces, for example, by Eric Erwazen and Florence Price, and he has performed with Lucerne Festival Strings, National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, Orchestra of the Swan and Bath Philharmonia.

Recent highlights include recitals at St George’s, Bristol, and Royal Conservatoire, Glasgow, as well as visits to Bath International, Lichfield, Petworth, Ryedale, Chipping Campden, Bedford Park, St Magnus and Lammermuir festivals. Akugbo led the Emerging Talent programme at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival, culminating in a performance at the Hub. He was invited by Tine Thing Helseth to the Risør Kammermusikfest in Norway, and has performed at the Lucerne Festival three times, including giving the world premiere of Joy Guidry’s They know what they’ve done to us for trumpet and electronics in 2022, commissioned for him by the I&I Foundation. Future highlights include recitals around the UK with regular duo partners Zeynep Özsuca (piano), Ryan Corbett (accordion) and Milo Harper (harp).

A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music and ex-principal of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, Akugbo can often be seen as guest principal in the chairs of the UK’s leading orchestras. He has received lessons and masterclass tuition from many leading trumpet players, including Urban Agnas, Reinhold Friedrich, Jeroen Berwaerts, Gabor Tarkovi, Guillaume Jehl and Eric Aubier.

He is a founding member of Connaught Brass, inaugural winners of the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble Award in 2019, Britten Pears Arts chamber music residency artists in 2022, and supported by The Tillett Trust, City Music Foundation and Kirckman Concert Society.

Aaron plays a combination of Vincent Bach Stradivarius and Scherzer instruments.