Faculty Bio: Ben Dettelback

Ben Dettelback currently serves as Principal Trombone of The Syracuse Orchestra and Instructor of Trombone at Syracuse University’s Setnor School of Music. This year, Ben is excited to join the faculties of Binghamton University and Onondaga Community College. Ben served as Principal Trombone of the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra (Ithaca, NY) from 2018-2024 and has performed with groups such as the Buffalo Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic/Oratorio Society, Skaneateles Festival, West Point Band, Princeton Symphony, and American Institute of Musical Study in Graz, Austria.

Ben has appeared twice as soloist with The Syracuse Orchestra performing Tan Dun's Trombone Concerto "Three Muses in Video Games" in January 2026 on the Masterworks Subscription Series and the final movement of L. Grondahl’s Trombone Concerto during the 2022-23 Season. Ben can be heard alongside Bradley Kerns, David Seder, and Clint Woltering on the 2024 trombone quartet album titled “Goldberg Variations, BMW 988” as well as the 2020 Naxos American Classics recording “Bernstein Songfest” with the National Orchestral Institute and James Judd. He was also named a finalist in the 2018 International Trombone Associations Alto Trombone Competition.

In addition to his teaching duties, Ben is the founder and director of the Setnor Slides Trombone Ensemble and has presented masterclasses at Ithaca College, The University of Kentucky, and Colgate University. Ben also served on the orchestral faculty of the 2023 Varna International Music Academy. 

Ben received a Bachelor of Music and Performer's Certificate from the Eastman School of Music followed by a Master of Music from Yale University where he studied with Larry Zalkind and Scott Hartman respectively. Ben is currently completing a Doctor of Musical Arts back at Eastmen. When not playing trombone, Ben can be found hanging out with his orange cat, Kimchi, or finding a new project to work on.