Martin Armstrong started his banding career at the age of 13 on cornet at the local colliery band. Two years later he switched instruments and bands to play the tenor horn for Peterlee town band and Ever Ready. His first solo horn position was at the Championship Fishburn Band where he spent two years under the guidance of conductor and tutor Ian Robinson.

Martin then moved to Huddersfield to study music at the University, being handed the solo horn position in all the major ensembles. Whilst living in Huddersfield Martin played for the Black Dyke Mills Band, progressing through 2nd to 1st horn, playing at venues around the UK
and places as far a field as Bermuda, Toronto, Australia and just about all of Europe.

Teaching is a main part of his daily routine: Martin is also a tenor horn tutor with many Youth Brass Bands lending his teaching abilities to nurture the furthering of the brass band movement

Martin has performed on numerous TV and radio shows, including appearances on Dinner Ladies, Ground force (Music Score), and live TV with Peter Gabriel on the Jools Holland show. He has also been a featured soloist on the BBC Radio 2 show Listen to the Band. Performing in the Royal Albert Hall, Barbican and Symphony hall is an annual event for Martin.

Armstrong joined the Fodens Band as solo horn in the summer of 2001. He was then studying at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. The Fodens band is recognised world wide as an elite ensemble ranked number 1 in the world and current British Open Champions.

Martin is a clinician with Antoine Courtois Paris.