Dr Benjamin Coy serves as the brass professor at South Texas College, where he also directs the symphonic band and teaches music theory. He is a regular clinician and has presented lectures on pedagogical topics at conferences throughout the country, including multiple presentations at the International Trombone Festival.
As a trombonist, Dr Coy plays with the Valley Symphony Orchestra and has previously held positions in the Springfield Symphony, Orchestra Iowa, and the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Symphony. He has also performed with numerous other orchestras throughout the country. He has also played for a wide variety of critically-acclaimed opera and theatre productions, including the national tour of Hairspray. Dr Coy maintains a diverse performance calendar including rock, jazz, and chamber music.
Dr Coy is committed to the growth of brass repertoire. His current project is to expand the spectrum of pieces appropriate for concerto competitions through the orchestration of music previously only available with piano accompaniment.
Dr Coy earned his doctorate in trombone performance and pedagogy at The Ohio State University. He previously studied in Chicago, earning his master's degree at Northwestern University and his bachelor's at the Chicago College of Performing Arts. His primary teachers were Chicago Symphony musicians Jay Friedman and Michael Mulcahy.