Marissa Benedict Named Assistant Professor of Trumpet

Marissa Benedict

We are pleased to announce that Ms. Marissa Benedict has been named Assistant Professor of Trumpet effective August 26, 2019. 

Ms. Benedict brings a wealth of professional performing and teaching experience to the U of M School of Music. She is Professor of Trumpet at California State University–San Bernardino and instructs at the University of Southern California. She serves as Principal Trumpet with the Pasadena Symphony and Pops Orchestra and is Associate Principal Trumpet at Long Beach Symphony and Pops. Ms. Benedict performs regularly with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera, and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Her performing credits also include soundtracks for movies such as The Incredibles, and at the 91st Academy Awards. Learn more about Ms. Benedict below.

About Marissa Benedict

Marissa Benedict was born in San Francisco, CA and raised in Marin County where she started playing piano at age 7, violin at age 9, and trumpet at age 10 (studying with Joe Alessi, Sr.). She continued playing all three instruments until graduating from high school and moving to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California, where she earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in Trumpet Performance in 1984, studying with Boyde Hood.

Benedict has been a freelance trumpet player in Los Angeles for 34 years. She currently is principal trumpet for the Pasadena Symphony/Pasadena Pops, acting principal for the Long Beach Symphony/Pops, and principal trumpet for Orchestra Santa Monica. Benedict regularly plays with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Los Angeles Opera, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, and other Los Angeles area orchestras. She is one of the founding members of the Modern Brass Quintet who perform throughout the Los Angeles area.

Along with performing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Benedict played in their Boston to London 2018 tour, 2019 Asia Tour, and at the 91st Academy Awards.

A very active and in-demand studio player, she can be heard on nearly 160 motion picture recordings, including Incredibles II, Coco, Moana, Rogue One, Spider-Man, Homecoming, Indiana Jones IV, Avatar, The Polar Express, Spider-Man 2, Monsters, Inc., and War of the Worlds. Her television studio recording credits include Star Trek: Discovery Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Voyager, JAG, Commander in Chief, Galavant, and Deep Space Nine.

Along with her busy playing career, Benedict is on faculty at California State University, San Bernardino; Glendale Community College; and The Colburn School of Performing Arts. She coaches brass groups at many local high schools and has a private studio of over 20 students. She resides in North Hollywood with her husband (married 32 years) and has three grown children.

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