Niklas Eklund, the renowned Swedish trumpet player, has died aged 56.

Born in Göteborg in 1969, Eklund received initial instruction on the trumpet from his father, Bengt Eklund, before going on to study at Göteborg’s School of Music and Musicology, and subsequently at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis under the direction of Edward H. Tarr. After five years as solo trumpeter with the Basle Radio Symphony Orchestra, Eklund left to pursue a solo career, during which time he appeared internationally with leading conductors and ensembles to become arguably the most phenomenally gifted Baroque trumpeter in the world.

A prolific recording artist, Eklund’s five-volume overview of works for Baroque trumpet on the Naxos label remains a significant contribution to the genre. The series confirmed his undisputed status, both as a technician and an interpreter, with American Record Guide noting of the final volume how his “virtuoso skills, consistently sweet tone, purity of intonation, and sense of ease rank him as the world’s best.”