Pianist Benjamin David Tufte Takes the Thorley Stage
Published: March 05, 2026 | Author: Kol Gibson | Read Time: 3 minutes
Southern Utah University’s Department of Music will present a Piano Guest Artist Recital with Benjamin David Tufte on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. in the Thorley Recital Hall.
Tufte’s program showcases a sweeping range of styles and voices, from early 19th-century masterworks to vibrant 20th- and 21st-century compositions. With a particular passion for elevating underperformed works, Tufte brings together a program that reflects both his wide-ranging musical interests and his commitment to artistic exploration.
Tufte takes a multifaceted approach to music, balancing performance, composition, criticism, and education. As a performer, he maintains a deep commitment to exploring the full breadth of the piano repertoire. Recent performances have included cello sonatas by Beethoven and jazz composer David Baker, as well as duo works by Dmitri Shostakovich and Rebecca Clarke.
As a composer, Tufte has received commissions from the Boston-based duo Transient Canvas and the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. His work Two Pines. Manitou, Colorado, inspired by a painting by Birger Sandzén, was named a finalist in the New York City Contemporary Music Symposium’s 2021 call for scores.
Tufte is currently pursuing an Artist’s Diploma at the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver, studying with Dr. Steven Mayer. He previously earned a Performance Diploma and Master’s Degree from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University Bloomington and completed bachelor’s degrees in piano and composition at the University of Utah. His musical journey also includes studies with Dr. Christian Bohnenstengel and the late Mary Anne Andersen at Southern Utah University, making this recital a meaningful return to campus.
Festival appearances include the Wyoming International Chamber Music Festival, the Piracicaba International Piano Festival, the Roundtop Festival Institute, the Brevard Music Center, Curtis SummerFest, and the Helen Taylor Johannesen International Piano Festival.
This Piano Guest Artist Recital with Benjamin David Tufte is free and open to the public. For more information about Music at SUU, visit www.suu.edu/pva/music.
About the College of Performing and Visual Arts
The College of Performing and Visual Arts (CPVA) at Southern Utah University comprises 41 academic programs, including liberal arts (BA/BS) and professional (BFA, BM, BMEd) degrees in art, design, dance, filmmaking, music, and theatre. It includes graduate programs in the fields of arts administration (MFA, MA), music education (MME), and music technology (MM). More than 60 full-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 900 majors in the College. CPVA presents over 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year which are complemented by the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) and Shakespeare Studies at SUU, and is affiliated with the Tony award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival (USF). Southern Utah University is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) making SUU the first public university in the state of Utah to be accredited by all four associations. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, visit www.suu.edu/pva.Contact Information
Kol Gibson
435-865-8667
kolgibson@suu.edu