JUSTIN BENAVIDEZ
Nationally recognized with a distinct tradition of developing leaders in a variety of musical fields, the Florida State University Tuba & Euphonium Studio is nestled within one of the most comprehensive College of Music programs in the country. Through individualized instruction, healthy competition, and an enthusiastic esprit-de-corps, every student in the studio is encouraged to make the most of their musical potential.
Under the direction of Dr. Justin Benavidez, the studio is comprised of students majoring in music performance, music education, music therapy, and music theory, totaling 26 undergraduate and graduate students from across the United States. All students participate in a tuba/euphonium chamber ensemble and attend weekly studio classes that cover a range of performance and pedagogical topics.
The studio maintains an active performance schedule on and off campus. Studio ensembles have been invited for performances at the 2018 and 2020 Southeast Regional Tuba Euphonium Conferences, the 2019 United States Army Band Tuba Euphonium Workshop, and the 2019 International Tuba Euphonium Conference.
Prospective students interested in auditioning for the FSU Tuba and Euphonium Studio can find more information at our webpage.
STUDENT SUCCESS
COMPETITIONS
2021 Stars and Shipes Mock Audition Competition
Jonah Zimmerman - Semifinalist
2021 International Mock Audition Competition
Daniel Mentzer - Semifinalist
2021 Virtual Tuba Euphonium Conference
Jonah Zimmerman - Honorable Mention, Adult Euphonium Solo Competition
2020 Leonard Falcone Festival
Brandon Smith - Bronze Medalist, Artist Tuba Competition
Jonah Zimmerman - Silver Medalist, Artist Euphonium Competition
2020 International Euphonium Tuba Festival
Jonah Zimmerman - First Place Winner, Solo Artist Competition
2020 Southeast Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference (Kennesaw State University)
Anthony Borda - Finalist, Solo Tuba Young Artist Competition
Ian Graves - Finalist, Mock Tuba Audition
Brandon Smith - Finalist, Solo Tuba Artist Competition
Ryan Sorenson - Finalist, Solo Tuba Artist Competition
Austin Thornton - Finalist, Solo Euphonium Young Artist Competition
Jonah Zimmerman - Finalist, Mock Euphonium Audition
FSU Tuba/Euphonium Quartet (Ian Graves, Jordan Masone, Brandon Smith, Jonah Zimmerman) - Finalist, Chamber Music Competition
2020 Midwest Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference (University of Kentucky)
Jonah Zimmerman - Finalist, Mock Euphonium Audition; Finalist, Solo Euphonium Artist Competition
2020 United States Army Band National Collegiate Solo Competition
Jonah Zimmerman - Finalist (Euphonium)
2020 United States Army Band Tuba Euphonium Workshop Solo Tuba Competition
Brandon Smith - Finalist
2020 Online Brass Championships
Jonah Zimmerman - Best Euphonium; 9th Place Overall
2019 Leonard Falcone Festival
Ian McCollum - Semifinalist, Artist Euphonium Competition
2019 International Tuba Euphonium Conference (University of Iowa)
Brandon Smith - First Place Winner, Arnold Jacobs Mock Tuba Audition
2018 Southeast Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference (Florida State University)
Colby Hollingsworth - Finalist, Solo Tuba Artist Competition
Ian McCollum - Second Place, Solo Euphonium Artist Competition
FSU Tuba/Euphonium Quartet (Harrison Brown, Chris Martin, Sheldon Martin, Ian McCollum) - Second Place, Chamber Music Competition
SUMMER FESTIVALS
2021
Anthony Borda - Eastern Music Festival
Harrison Brown - Sewanee Music Festival
2020
Harrison Brown - Sewanee Music Festival
Austin Thornton - Eastern Music Festival
2019
Ian Graves - Eastern Music Festival
Daniel Mentzer - Sewanee Music Festival
2018
Harrison Brown - Sewanee Music Festival
AUDITION SUCCESS
2021
Brandon Smith - Semifinalist, United States Air Force Ceremonial Brass Tuba Audition; Semifinalist, United States Air Force Band of Mid-America Tuba Audition; Finalist, United States Navy Band Tuba Audition
Ryan Sorenson - Semifinalist, United States Air Force Ceremonial Brass Tuba Audition; Semifinalist, United States Navy Band Tuba Audition
2019
Jesse McConnell - Winner, Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra Substitute Tuba Audition
Brandon Smith - Semifinalist, Louisville Orchestra Principal Tuba Audition; Finalist, The Florida Orchestra Principal Tuba Audition
Jonah Zimmerman - Semifinalist, United States Air Force Ceremonial Brass Euphonium Audition
BEYOND FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
2021
Ian Graves (MM 2020) - Accepted with graduate assistantship for DMA studies at Michigan State University
Daniel Mentzer (BM 2021) - Accepted with scholarship for MM studies at Indiana University; Accepted with graduate assistantship for MM studies at Cincinnati-Conservatory of Music; Accepted with graduate assistantship for MM studies at Carnegie Mellon University; Accepted for MM studies at New England Conservatory
Dillards Polikarpov (BME 2021) - Appointed Music Director, Madison Creative Arts Academy, Madison, FL
Brandon Smith (DM 2021) - Appointed Artist in Residence, Valdosta State University; Appointed Principal Tuba, Valdosta Symphony Orchestra; Appointed Principal Tuba, Albany Symphony Orchestra (GA)
Brantley West (BME 2020) - Appointed Director of Bands, Lake Minneola High School, Minneola, FL
Jonah Zimmerman (MM 2021) - Accepted with graduate assistantship for DMA studies at George Mason University; Accepted with graduate assistantship for DM studies at Florida State University
2020
AJ Arcia (BME 2019) - Appointed Director of Bands, Paxon School for Advanced Studies, Jacksonville, FL
Harrison Brown (BM 2020) - Accepted with scholarship to MM studies at New England Conservatory
Turner Gray (BA 2019) - Accepted with scholarship for MM studies at Northwestern University; Accepted with graduate assistantship for MM studies at Washington State University
Ian Graves (MM 2020) - Accepted with scholarship for DMA studies at the University of Miami
Chris Martin (BM 2018) - Accepted with teaching fellowship for DMA studies at the University of North Texas
Sheldon Martin (BME 2019) - Appointed Assistant Director of Bands, Lake Nona High School, Orlando, FL
Spencer Oyster (BME 2020) - Appointed Director of Bands, Marathon Middle/High School, Marathon, FL
Justin Snively (BME 2020) - Appointed Director of Bands and Orchestra, Stone Magnet Middle School, Melbourne, FL
2019
Colby Hollingsworth (BME 2018) - Appointed Director of Bands, Heritage High School, Palm Bay, FL
Stephen Mayo (BME 2019) - Appointed Associate Director of Bands, Choctawhatchee High School, Fort Walton Beach, FL
Ian McCollum (DM 2019) - Appointed Lecturer of Tuba and Euphonium, University of North Carolina-Charlotte
Jonathan Sims (BME 2019) - Appointed Director of Bands and Orchestra at Hillsborough High School, Tampa, FL
Lina Tabak (BM 2019) - Accepted with scholarship for PhD studies at CUNY
2018
Elyse Frezza (BME 2018) - Appointed Music Teacher, Pride Elementary School, Deltona, FL
Chris Martin (BM 2018) - Accepted with scholarship for MM studies at the University of North Texas
Each year, we host several distinguished guest artists for recitals and master classes. These guests have included:
2020-2021
Chris Blaha, University of Akron
Tim Buzbee, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Scott Cameron, The United States Army Field Band (retired)
Mark Jenkins, The "President's Own" United States Marine Band
Don Little, University of North Texas
Erik Lundquist, The United States Air Force Ceremonial Brass
John Manning, University of Iowa
Tom McCaslin, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
Steven Mead, International Solo Artist and Royal Northern Conservatory of Music
David Saltzman, Toledo Symphony Orchestra
Ryan Robinson, Oklahoma State University
Michael Roylance, Boston Symphony Orchestra and New England Conservatory of Music
Ben Vasko, Valdosta State University
2019-2020
Canadian Brass
Aubrey Foard, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Adam Frey, University of North Georgia
Thomas Leleu, International Solo Artist
Daniel Rowland, University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Justin Stowe, The 282nd United States Army Band
2018-2019
Presidio Brass
Fritz Kaenzig, University of Michigan
Alex Lapins, University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Charles Villarrubia, University of Texas at Austin
2017-2018
Axiom Brass
Austin Howle, Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Jarrett McCourt, New World Symphony
Kazuhiro Nakamura, Osaka College of Music
Bill Pritchard, Amplituba
David Zerkel, University of Georgia