About

Benjamin Crofut is instructor of double bass at The University of Alabama, the Alabama School of Fine Arts, and 2022-23 interim instructor at the Schwob School of music at Columbus State University. His students have gone on to college programs at the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, DePaul University, Indiana University, Pennsylvania State University, University of South Florida, and the University of Texas at Austin. Ben performs regularly in a leadership position with the symphony orchestras of Annapolis, Columbus, Jackson, Mobile, Shoals, Tupelo, and Tuscaloosa, in addition to regular substitute work with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.

Invitations to work with the Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland, National Repertory Orchestra in Colorado, and New York String Orchestra Seminar in New York City have allowed Ben the opportunity to work with such international conductors as Paavo Järvi, Gianandrea Noseda, Sir Simon Rattle, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, James Conlon, Antonio Pappano, Manfred Honeck, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Iván Fischer, among others.

Ben holds performance degrees from the Eastman school of music (Rochester, NY), Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, PA), the Colburn school (Los Angeles, CA), and plays on a five-string Bass by Chris Threlkeld of Iowa City and a french-style bow by Reid Hudson of Vancouver. He is a life-time member of the International Society of Bassists, possesses a certificate in bow making, repairs, and rehairs from the Violin Craftsmanship Institute, a certification in Dalcroze education currently in progress, and is proud to have personally studied performance psychology with Dr. Don Greene, a renowned performance psychology coach who works with musicians, Olympic athletes, and S.W.A.T teams.