Born and raised in the Denver Metro Area, Ben got his start playing handbells and other percussion in elementary school, and has tried his hand at many instruments since. Picking up the guitar in high school, he played in bands with his friends, but didn’t get serious about it until well after starting college.

Initially pursuing a different degree, he started taking private lessons in electric bass and classical guitar for fun, and eventually found himself changing educational paths. Transferring to Metropolitan State University of Denver, he focused on classical guitar, studying under Alex Komodore, Jeff LaQuatra, and Jeff Gleason, who provided unique perspectives and helped him to shape his own musical voice. Ben graduated in 2021 with a Bachelor in K-12 Music Education.

As part of his studies, he also learned to play piano, and picked up the ukulele and drums along the way. During his student teaching, he worked in an elementary school program that focused primarily around the modern (rock) band method, as well as working with choir classes and a theater production at the high school level.

Ben enjoys playing Rock, Punk, and Metal in his free time, and is trying his hand at learning several other genres as well. As a teacher, Ben is committed to bringing a positive attitude and helping students to find their own voice and a building a love of music.