Rick Benjamin

Rick Benjamin is an Adjunct Professor of Music at Bucknell University, specializing in tuba, euphonium, and conducting. He is also the music director and pianist of the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, a historic American music ensemble touring internationally since 1985. His career spans performances with renowned orchestras and ensembles, including the Goldman Band and New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, under conductors like Leonard Bernstein.

• Education: Studied at The Juilliard School with mentors Don Butterfield, Don Harry, Sarah Nehman, and Eric Ewazen.

His research focuses on historic brass performance practices, leveraging unique access to Simone Mantia’s manuscripts and pedagogical works. Benjamin’s artistic work bridges classical, jazz, and film music, reflected in recordings on labels like New World Records and Vanguard.

He maintains active roles in music education, specializing in tuba and euphonium instruction, and holds membership in the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and BMI.