Pierce to Perform With Albany Symphony

University Relations

Benjamin Pierce

Benjamin Pierce, professor of tuba and euphonium in the Department of Music, is set to perform with the Albany Symphony on March 10 in Albany, New York. The concert, an all-American program, will feature Pierce as guest soloist in Michael Daugherty's Reflections on the Mississippi. 

Albany is today recognized as the capital of America's new music, thanks to the dedication of music director David Alan Miller and the Albany Symphony. The New York Times says that the creative partnership is "intrepid" and NPR Classical raves about their performances as "adventurous." The GRAMMY-award winning Albany Symphony has received more ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming than any other orchestra in America, 26 to date, including the John S. Edwards Award for Strongest Commitment to New American Music in 2013 and 2014.

Pierce's performance of the work by Michael Daugherty will add to the ensemble's committment to new music with a stellar performance by one of the world's most exciting tuba virtuosos.

About Benjamin Pierce: Benjamin Pierce is an accomplished low brass artist and teacher. He is a professor in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas, teaching a large studio of tuba and euphonium players and directing the tuba/euphonium ensemble. His studies took place at Bowling Green State University and the University of Michigan. His primary teachers were David Saygers, Velvet Brown, Fritz Kaenzig and Wesley Jacobs.

Pierce has notably been the winner of some dozen international tuba and euphonium artist competitions held in the United States, Japan, Germany, Finland, South Korea, England and Italy. He is a frequent soloist at home and abroad performing many solo recitals as well as concerti with such ensembles as the premier United States military bands, top American brass bands, and such orchestras as the Tokyo Symphony, Oulu Symphony (Finland) and Vogtland Philharmonie (Germany).

Enjoying a varied ensemble career, Pierce has performed with the Detroit Symphony, the Detroit Chamber Brass, the Toledo Symphony, the Flint Symphony and the Tulsa Symphony. He has served as principal tubist of the Ann Arbor Symphony and is principal tubist of SONA, formerly the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. He is a member of the acclaimed Brass Band of Battle Creek, featuring many of the world's greatest brass players. With the BBBC, he has performed on three different instruments.

Recently Pierce was appointed Editor in Chief of the Journal of ITEA (International Tuba Euphonium Association.)

Pierce can be heard on three recordings available from major online retailers. He is a Miraphone performing artist.