Ben Bussey is a musician and teaching artist whose training and experience span a wealth of genres and reflect an interest in developing and supporting new music and emerging artists.

Based in the Twin Cities, he is a founding member of The Paper Clips Trombone Quartet and his creative projects include Heavy Metal Brass Band, Star of the North Jazz Orchestra, and the Encore Wind Ensemble. He serves at the MacPhail Center for Music as a low brass specialist, ensemble clinician, and Interim Director School Partnerships.

Ben has performed with the music industry’s best across a variety of styles - The New Standards, The Shabby Road Orchestra, Davina and the Vagabonds, Chuck Lazarus, Michael Davis, Catherine Russell, Ingrid Jensen, Mayito Rivera, Oystein Baadsvik, Big Star, Aby Wolf, Cameron Kinghorn, Jeremy Messersmith, Jaedyn James, Scott Bergman, Shaun Johnson, The Belfast Cowboys, the Twin Cities Jazz Composers Workshop, IMPROVESTRA, Dream on Nilsson, the Lake Woebegon Brass Band, Artistry MN, and the Jungle Theater.

Ben is an active guest artist and adjudicator for music programs throughout the Midwest. He has served on the boards of the Minnesota Music Educators Association and the Minnesota Band Directors Association, advocating for teaching practices that put creativity and composition back in the hands of students. His range of music making experiences are crucial in shaping his pedagogical approach - whether playing for enjoyment, auditioning for honor bands or college programs, or winning competitions, Ben is prepared to guide students in cultivating their highest level of musicianship.

A Minneapolis native, Ben holds degrees from the University of Minnesota (BM Music Ed, 2008) and McNally Smith College of Music (MM Trombone, 2015). His teachers include Scott Agster, Adi Yeshaya, John Tranter, Dave Werden, & Jerry Luckhardt. He is a coffee enthusiast & avid baseball fan.