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Nael’s journey from a small-town music school in Estonia to prestigious stages in America exemplifies how cultural heritage and ambition can intersect to create something remarkable. Now based in the U.S. to further his musical studies, this young artist’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and the “living bridge” between Estonia and America built through music and dedication.
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Early Musical Beginnings in Estonia
Robert Nael’s introduction to music came almost by chance. As a third-grader in 2015, he enrolled in the Kose Music School in northern Estonia hoping to learn the guitar – only to discover that the school didn’t offer it at the time. Undeterred, his teachers persuaded him to try the bassoon instead. It proved a fateful choice. Under the guidance of his first instructor, Tarmo Velmet, young Robert quickly took to the bassoon’s rich, mellow sound. He progressed rapidly, and within just a few years he was attracting attention in Estonia’s classical music circles. In 2017, at about ten years old, Nael won first place in the national Parim noor instrumentalist 2017 (Best Young Instrumentalist 2017) competition for his age group. This was a remarkable feat, especially given how rare it is to find child bassoonists – the bassoon’s size and complexity often deter very young players. Robert’s victory signaled the arrival of a rare talent. His teacher noted that despite the bassoon’s challenges, the young boy’s dedication and skill shone through, even against older competitors.
Building on these early successes, Robert sought more advanced training. After three fruitful years at the Kose Music School, he earned admission to the prestigious Tallinn Music High School (Tallinna Muusikakeskkool) in Estonia’s capital. There he continued his bassoon studies with esteemed mentor Peeter Sarapuu, principal bassoonist of the Estonian National Symphony. Tallinn’s Music High School – the same conservatory that produced famed Estonian bassoonist Martin Kuuskmann a generation earlier – provided a rigorous environment for Robert to refine his craft. By age 15, he had already spent half his young life devoted to mastering the bassoon. Those who heard him play noted a maturity in his tone and musicality well beyond his years. It was clear that Nael was poised for bigger horizons, and an opportunity soon arrived that would change his life’s trajectory.
From Kose to California: A Bold Leap for Music
In 2021, after finishing middle school in Estonia, Robert Nael took a bold leap: he moved to the United States as a teenager to attend the Idyllwild Arts Academy in California. This renowned residential arts high school – nestled in the mountains east of Los Angeles – offered Robert a world-class training ground for young musicians. It was a transatlantic move at an age when many kids are just settling into high school, but Robert embraced the challenge. Notably, at Idyllwild he would be studying under Grammy-nominated Estonian bassoonist Martin Kuuskmann, who was on the faculty and had helped pave the way for Robert’s enrollment. Kuuskmann’s presence meant Robert was extending a proud lineage of Estonian bassoon excellence into the California pines. In this diverse, international arts academy of a few hundred students, Robert’s exceptional talent quickly garnered attention. He immersed himself in intensive practice and performances, thriving in an environment where music is a daily language.
Nael not only adjusted to his new surroundings – he excelled. By the time he graduated from Idyllwild in the spring of 2025, he had earned the academy’s “Outstanding Artist Award”, the school’s highest honor for a graduating senior. This award marked him as Idyllwild’s top young performer of the year, a recognition of both his virtuosity and his hard work. At the beginning of his junior year, he spent two weeks in California setting up his class schedule with academic teachers, then returned to Europe to tour with the Baltic Sea Philharmonic under Kristjan Järvi’s baton, performing across Germany and Italy for thousands of people. During his time at Idyllwild, Robert amassed an impressive list of achievements. In his very first year in the United States, he won the school’s concerto competition, earning the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the Idyllwild Arts Orchestra. In one memorable concert, he delivered a commanding performance of Carl Maria von Weber’s Bassoon Concerto in F major, dazzling peers and faculty with his already mature mastery of the instrument. The review in the local press praised Robert’s handling of the flowing melodies and virtuosic runs of the concerto’s opening movement – no small feat for a teenager tackling one of the bassoon’s showpiece works. In another showcase, he tackled Camille Saint-Saëns’ notoriously demanding Bassoon Sonata, playing it “brilliantly” and to great acclaim. Whether in orchestral concerts or chamber recitals, Robert became a standout of the Idyllwild music department. In fact, in one chamber performance he was dubbed “the hero of the night” after joining a classmate for a lively duet for two bassoons, wowing the audience with his technical prowess and musical flair. These experiences not only honed Robert’s skills; they also proved that a boy from a small Estonian village could shine among the best young artists on an international stage.
Representing Estonia on the Global Stage
Robert Nael’s teenage years have been defined by courage and cross-cultural exchange, and nowhere was this more evident than in the summer of 2024. On the eve of his senior year of high school, Robert received an invitation most young musicians could only dream of: an opportunity to represent Estonia in the inaugural NATO Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. Organized to commemorate NATO’s 75th anniversary, this special ensemble was to bring together student musicians from each member country for a celebratory concert at the U.S. Library of Congress. After a competitive audition process, Estonia’s embassy in the U.S. chose Robert as the nation’s bassoon representative – a singular honor for an 18-year-old. “I’m proud of my nation and happy to represent it,” he said before the trip, eager to carry the Estonian colors onto the stage in Washington.
That July, with his bassoon in hand and a proud smile on his face, Robert joined fellow young musicians from across Europe and North America to perform in the grand Hall of the Library of Congress. The audience included diplomats and international dignitaries, adding to the high-profile nature of the event. It’s not every day that a teenager gets to perform at one of the world’s most storied venues for such an occasion, yet by all accounts Robert handled it with poise and confidence. The concert was a resounding success – a moment that transcended borders, just as NATO’s anniversary intended. For Robert, it was also a personal milestone: a confirmation that his talents could speak to listeners from all backgrounds. In interviews, he emphasized how special it felt to share the stage with peers from so many countries, united by music. It was, in essence, the realization of music as a universal language, something he had always believed in.
Remarkably, the NATO orchestra appearance was just the beginning of Robert’s globe-trotting summer of 2024. No sooner had the Washington concert concluded than he flew back to Estonia to take part in the Pärnu Music Festival’s Järvi Academy, an elite summer program led by the renowned conductors (and father-son maestros) Neeme Järvi and Paavo Järvi. There, Robert dove into intensive masterclasses and even performed with the festival orchestra, deepening his roots in Estonia’s rich classical music scene. Rubbing shoulders with top young musicians and veteran professionals in Pärnu, he soaked up lessons in interpretation and artistry – all in his native cultural context. Before the summer was over, Robert also traveled to Finland for special lessons with Dag Jensen, one of Europe’s foremost bassoon pedagogues, who was impressed by the young Estonian’s potential. He additionally found time to perform as a guest with the Estonian National Youth Symphony Orchestra, further solidifying his ties to the musical community back home. All of this international experience was packed into mere weeks, while Robert was simultaneously preparing for his looming college auditions. By the time he wrapped up that whirlwind summer and headed back to California for his final year of high school, he had accumulated a wealth of global experience that most musicians don’t see until much later in their careers.
New Horizons in America
After graduating from Idyllwild in 2025, Robert Nael embarked on his next chapter: college studies in the United States. He was accepted into the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, where he matriculated in the fall of 2025 as an undergraduate bassoon performance major. Crucially, he would continue studying under his compatriot and mentor Martin Kuuskmann, who serves as Professor of Bassoon at Lamont. For Robert, this was an ideal continuation – Kuuskmann is not only a world-class musician (a multiple Grammy-nominated bassoon virtuoso) but also someone who shares Robert’s Estonian heritage and transatlantic journey. Under Kuuskmann’s tutelage in Denver, Robert is honing his craft further while carrying forward a proud lineage of Estonian bassoon excellence. The teacher and student make a formidable pair: one a seasoned performer who blazed a trail from Estonia to the top of the classical world, the other a rising star following closely in those footsteps.
Robert’s work ethic and character have earned him high praise from those who teach and work with him. Martin Kuuskmann has described Robert as a “precocious and humble” young man with a “magnetic personality.” More importantly, says Kuuskmann, Robert possesses an uncommon perseverance and willingness to work: “He works hard, no matter what… these aspects are what really make a talented musician have success,” the veteran instructor observed. Such praise is not given lightly – it speaks to Robert’s discipline in balancing intensive practice, performances, and studies. His packed schedule as a freshman attests to this drive: when he’s not in class or lessons, he’s often in a practice room preparing orchestral excerpts, learning new solo repertoire, or rehearsing with chamber groups. Already, Robert has begun performing with university ensembles and regional orchestras, gaining further experience on American stages. He approaches each opportunity with the same enthusiasm and poise that have characterized his journey so far. Kuuskmann’s guidance, combined with Robert’s grit, suggests that this young artist has all the ingredients to go far in the competitive world of classical music.
Notably, Robert’s recent Young Artist Grant – which came with a $2,000 award – will directly support his development at this critical stage. He has indicated that he plans to use the grant for specialized training opportunities and perhaps toward the purchase of a higher-grade bassoon. (Top-quality bassoons are very costly, and having an excellent instrument is crucial for a serious bassoonist’s progress.) In receiving the grant, Robert joins a select group of Estonian-American youth recognized for their artistic promise. The award is not just an accolade for him; as The Northern Voices noted, “it’s an investment in the cultural dialogue he furthers every time he plays a note.” In other words, supporters see in Robert a budding cultural ambassador whose music can build bridges between communities.
Bridging Cultures Through Music
Throughout his journey, Robert Nael has remained deeply connected to his Estonian roots even as he expands his horizons in America. He often says that when he plays, he feels a link to home no matter where he is. One way he keeps that connection alive is by showcasing Estonian music in his performances abroad. Whether at a small recital in Southern California or a concert hall in Europe, Robert frequently includes works by Estonian composers in his repertoire. He is particularly fond of contemporary Estonian pieces that highlight the bassoon’s wide expressive range – pieces that many in his U.S. audiences may be hearing for the first time. Each performance becomes, in his eyes, “a chance to introduce a bit of Estonia’s musical soul to new audiences”. In this way, Robert sees himself not only as a performer but as a cultural bridge between his homeland and his new home. “The bassoon has given me so many opportunities,” he told one reporter, reflecting on how the instrument’s soulful, human-like tone first drew him in and now allows him to speak across cultural boundaries. Indeed, from playing folk song-inspired melodies at community events to premiering new compositions by Estonian composers, Robert embraces the role of an ambassador of Estonian culture through the universal language of music.
Robert’s story – from a small music school in rural Estonia to an elite arts academy in California, and onward to some of the world’s grandest stages – is often described as “a harmonic convergence between cultures.” It’s a journey where tradition and innovation meet in inspiring ways, and where a young man carries the pride of his heritage into the future he is forging. “I always tell my students, you’ve got to believe in yourself… then go do it,” Martin Kuuskmann says of guiding young artists. Robert Nael embodies that advice fully. He believed in himself enough to switch from guitar to bassoon as a child, to leave home for a foreign country at 15, and to stand on international stages with confidence before his 20th birthday. By doing so, he has also given others belief – in the power of youth, of music, and of cultural exchange.
As he continues his studies and performances in the U.S., Robert carries the Estonian flag in his heart. Each note he plays is a thread in the tapestry connecting Estonia and North America, past and present, personal passion and shared heritage. For audiences in the United States and Canada who are meeting Robert Nael for the first time, his story is an uplifting reminder of what can happen when talent is nurtured across borders. This young bassoon virtuoso is not only poised for a brilliant musical career – he’s also enriching the transatlantic cultural landscape, one concert at a time. The Foundation that recognized him knows this well: their grant is a vote of confidence that Robert’s best chapters are still ahead. And for Robert Nael, every new opportunity – whether in a Colorado concert hall or a festival back in Estonia – is a chance to honor where he came from, to seize where he’s going, and to continue bridging two worlds with the warm, resonant voice of his bassoon.
Nael’s journey as a bassoonist has been deeply enriched by working with some of the world’s most celebrated artists. He has had the privilege of participating in masterclasses with internationally renowned musicians such as Amy Harman, Jaakko Luoma, Dag Jensen, Sebastian Stevensson, Jesús Villa Ordóñez, Theo Plath, Mor Biron, and Rie Koyama, each encounter offering invaluable artistic insight and inspiration at the highest level. These experiences not only refined his technical mastery but also connected him to the traditions and innovations of world-class performers who continue to shape the global stage of classical music. Looking ahead, Nael’s career will reach a new milestone on October 23, 2025, when he makes his highly anticipated debut with the Estonian Festival Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in New York City under the baton of the legendary Paavo Järvi. This historic performance will mark him as the youngest member ever to join the ensemble, a testament to his exceptional talent, artistic maturity, and growing presence among the next generation of leading international musicians.
