About Michael
BIO
MICHAEL BENEDICT
518-755-4233
Percussionist Michael Benedict received a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and a master’s degree in Jazz Studies from Rutgers University. His teachers include Jim Petercsak, Ray Mosca and Keith Copland.
Michael has pe
MICHAEL BENEDICT
518-755-4233
Percussionist Michael Benedict received a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and a master’s degree in Jazz Studies from Rutgers University. His teachers include Jim Petercsak, Ray Mosca and Keith Copland.
Michael has performed and/or recorded with jazz luminaries Gary Smulyan, Harry Allen, Dick Oatts, Ralph Lalama, Bruce Barth, Joe Locke, Renee Fleming, and Gene Bertoncini. He was a member of the Spike Jones Orchestra and the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra. He has toured the United States extensively, performing at numerous concert halls, colleges, clubs, and festivals and has performed in Europe. In 2012, Michael went on a US State Department tour of Tunisia, Africa where he taught and performed with the Planet Arts Trio.
Michael has extensive work in musical theatre playing in pit orchestras. He has performed with national touring shows including The Sound of Music, Beautiful-The Carole King Musical, Mean Girls and Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Time of The Temptations among others.
As a vibraphonist and drummer, Michael is currently the leader of two ensembles, JAZZ VIBES and BOPITUDE. He has released six recordings to date. Downbeat Magazine picked “Five and One” as one of the Best Albums of 2013. “Circulation: The Music of Gary McFarland”, was an Editor’s pick in Downbeat Magazine and listed as one of the Best Jazz Albums of 2015 by National Public Radio. Michael was twice nominated for Best Jazz Artist of the Year by the Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Awards (The Eddies) . He won an award for the Best Jazz Musician of the Year for 2023 given by WCDB Radio, SUNY Albany, 90.9FM.
Michael is a highly regarded educator and taught high school band, jazz band and music theory in Greenville, NY for twenty-five years. Michael has served as a clinician and guest conductor for numerous high school honor jazz ensembles. He has served as the president of the Albany Musicians’ Association and the Greene County Music Educators Association as well as vice president of the Schenectady-Amsterdam Musical Union. Michael is an Artist Endorser for Canopus Drums and Soultone Cymbals.