Martin Bui

Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Martin Bui is the newly appointed principal percussionist of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. He first began drum set lessons at the age of seven. He saw his first orchestra concert in fourth grade, played his first gig in seventh grade, and since then he has built a diverse career as an orchestral performer, drummer, and dedicated educator. He has taught clinics at schools in the Edmonton area, and frequently offers his time to help colleagues, students, and friends.

Martin first appeared with the ESO in 2019, and has shared the stage with ensembles such as the Royal Canadian Artillery Band, the Colorado MahlerFest Orchestra, the Colburn Orchestra. He was a timpani/percussion fellow at the 2019 Vancouver Symphony Orchestral Institute, and was the assistant timpanist of the Colorado MahlerFest Orchestra in Boulder, Colorado for the 2022 and 2023 festivals. He holds a Master of Music in Percussion Performance (2023) from California State University, Long Beach, and a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance (2021) from the University of Alberta. He has studied privately with Ted Atkatz (form. Chicago Symphony Orchestra), Andy Watkins (San Diego Symphony), and Brian Jones (ret. Edmonton Symphony Orchestra). He has also worked closely with Barry Nemish (Edmonton Symphony Orchestra), Michael Baker (Symphony Nova Scotia/MB Mallets), and Vern Griffiths (Vancouver Symphony Orchestra).