Benjamin Hughes
Programs
High School Orchestral Institute
College Orchestral Institute
Benjamin Hughes – Cellist, Educator, Innovator
Benjamin is internationally recognized as one of the UK’s most dynamic and versatile cellists. He served for over 18 years as Principal Cellist of the BBC Concert Orchestra, appearing frequently on BBC radio and television as both soloist and collaborator in repertoire ranging from core classical works to contemporary and cross-genre projects. His solo performances include Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations and Friedrich Gulda’s Cello Concerto, both broadcast on BBC Radio 3, as well as appearances as a soloist at the BBC Proms. His international career has taken him throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and North America, including a guest appearance and masterclass at the Tianjin Juilliard School.
In demand as a Guest Principal, Benjamin has performed with many of the UK’s leading orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Opera House Orchestra, and Royal Ballet Sinfonia, and internationally with the Sydney and Vancouver Symphony Orchestras. He has toured extensively across the United States and abroad.
A dedicated chamber musician, Benjamin has been a member of the Fibonacci Sequence and the London Mozart Trio, performing at major venues such as Wigmore Hall, King’s Place, Conway Hall, and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music. His chamber recordings, featuring works by Messiaen, Schubert, Elgar, and Brahms, are available on the Deux-Elles and Dutton/Epoch labels. Recent international highlights include appearances at the Busan Chamber Music Festival and the Parker Concert Hall International Series at Brevard Music Center.
A strong advocate for new and newly rediscovered music, Benjamin has premiered works by composers including John Foulds, Jonny Greenwood, Nigel Hess, and Roxanna Panufnik. His collaborations with the BBC Singers have included major contemporary works by Knut Nystedt, Roxanna Panufnik, Sven-David Sandström, and Eric Whitacre. His versatility extends into film and media, with performances on numerous film and television scores, including Jonny Greenwood’s Norwegian Wood, and appearances in Planet Earth II Live at the Royal Albert Hall alongside conductor Jessica Cottis and Academy Award–winning composer Hans Zimmer.
An innovator as well as a performer, Benjamin has designed and built two distinctive instruments—an award-winning reimagined acoustic instrument and a semi-acoustic electric model—both of which feature in live performance and broadcast. His interest in electronic music has been showcased in a dedicated BBC Radio 3 program.
An active educator, Benjamin has taught at the Royal Academy of Music since 2016 and is also on the faculty of Brevard Music Center. In Fall 2025 he took up the position of Associate Professor of Cello at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.