Dr. Justin Benavidez is the professor of tuba and euphonium at the Florida State University College of Music and is the principal tubist of the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra. In the summer, he is on faculty at the Round Top Music Festival in Texas.

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Benavidez has collaborated as guest tubist with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. He was previously the principal tubist of the Syracuse Symphoria Orchestra and the Syracuse Opera.

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With his playing noted for its "tremendous virtuosity and stylistic versatility", Benavidez has performed in venues throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. His debut solo album, EMBLEMS, won Silver Medals in the Classical Album and Instrumental Solo Album categories of the Global Music Awards. The ITEA Journal described it as "an impressive and highly entertaining record." Benavidez has been a finalist and prizewinner at multiple international solo competitions (ITEC, Falcone Festival, IWBC, William C. Byrd Young Artist Competition, Young Texas Artist Competition). He is the only tubist to have been awarded both the New Horizons Fellowship and the Orchestral Fellowship at the Aspen Music Festival, where he held the principal tuba chair in the festival orchestra and was the winner of the prestigious Aspen Music Festival concerto competition. He was the distinguished recipient of the Horace H. Rackham Merit Fellowship for doctoral studies at the University of Michigan and was presented with the 2019 University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance Paul Boylan Alumni Award for outstanding accomplishments and significant contributions in the field of music.

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Benavidez is one of today's leading educators, frequently presenting master classes and performing as a guest recitalist at preeminent schools of music, workshops, and conferences. Notable invitations have included the Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, the University of Michigan, the University of North Texas, the Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo, the Bern University of the Arts, the Lyon Conservatory of Music, the Paris Conservatory of Music, the United States Army Band Tuba Euphonium Workshop, the International Euphonium and Tuba Festival, and multiple International Tuba Euphonium Conferences. Benavidez's students have distinguished themselves through numerous accomplishments and awards, including prizes at international solo competitions, fellowships to summer music festivals, assistantships for graduate study, performances with professional ensembles, and teaching positions at secondary and collegiate institutions.

 

Benavidez is a Melton Meinl Weston performing artist. He proudly performs on his MW 2182W F tuba and Nirschl York CC tuba.