Benjamin Bregman has been studying and performing violin and viola since the age of four. Born in New Jersey, he first studied with Dorothy Roffman, director of the Thurnauer School of Music, and then with Patinka Kopec, co-director of the Pinchas Zukerman Performance Program at the Manhattan School of Music.

Growing up, Benjamin attended festivals and workshops including the Greenwood Music Camp, Meadowmount School of Music, and Pinchas Zukerman’s Young Artist Program. After graduating from Stanford University with degrees in Mathematics and Physics, he pursued a varied career across finance, technology, and entrepreneurship before moving to Santa Cruz in 2022 to teach violin full-time.

Benjamin has performed with local ensembles including the Santa Cruz Symphony, Ensemble Monterey, Espressivo Ensemble, and the Santa Cruz Chamber Players. You can also find him performing Irish traditional music around town with his band, Rosin & Steel.

In addition to violin teaching and performance, Benjamin also designs and develops mobile apps as a hobby. Among his projects include an online course teaching classical music theory as well as a daily poetry club (which was featured by Apple as the App of the Day!).