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Benjamin Wegner is an American composer, tenor singer, and music educator. Since he was born, music was omni-present in his life. His mom, Libby was an elementary music teacher, and his Dad, Bruce, sang in several choruses around the Twin Cities. Ben and his sister Abby were enrolled in all sorts of Kinder music programs and when he finally was enrolled in the Minnesota Boychoir as a 3rd grader, it was only a matter of time until music become all-encompassing. With that ensemble, he performed all across the country and traveled on international tours.
Benjamin Wegner took that love of music to Luther College in Decorah, Iowa in the fall of 2010. Luther opened his eyes to new possibilities in choral music as well as composition. In his sophomore year as the tenor section leader of Cathedral Choir, Dr. Sandra Peter took him under her wing and worked with him on his first major arrangement, "Lamb of God, Pure and Sinless." With her, he learned about practical voice leadings, creating clean scores, and all the nuts and bolts of engraving a hard copy of music. As he transitioned to Nordic Choir under the direction of Dr. Allen Hightower, the meaning of musical beauty took on a new meaning. With that ensemble as tenor section leader, he discovered sounds he had not known before and greatly impacted his writing style. During this time, Wegner took informal lessons with Dr. Brooke Joyce, Luther's composer-in-residence. Dr. Joyce introduced him to formal structures and contemporary music that challenges many listeners.
But it was after college that composition became a more integral part of Benjamin Wegner's identity. As the Director of Music at Jehovah Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, he found himself arranging many psalms and "emergency" anthems for his small yet mighty church choir. When he joined The Singers - Minnesota Choral Artists, Dr. Matthew Culloton became a major proponent of his music. With that group lending great skill, he was granted wonderful recordings of his own music that are currently used to promote his work. In 2017, He Leadeth Me was featured at the National Conference for Sacred Music in Charlotte, North Carolina and at an exhibition at the American Choral Director's Association National Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Ben's work has been commissioned and performed by choirs at the professional, high school, middle school, and community level as well as church choirs across the country. He is currently the Vocal Music Director at St. Edmond's Catholic High School in Fort Dodge, Iowa, where he is currently based. |
