Composer Chris Benna has had works premiered by Balance Campaign, the Thalea String Quartet, and has premiered his own works as a solo pianist. At a young age, Chris Benna began teaching himself piano through YouTube and through his keyboard. At age 14, he began taking formal piano lessons with Alec Davis. At UMBC he has double degrees in Music Composition and Piano Performance, having studied composition with Dr. Linda Dusman, Dr. Daniel Pesca and Dr. Bradley Green, and piano with Dr. Teodora Adzharova and Dr. Daniel Pesca. He has performed in numerous ensembles at UMBC including the UMBC New Music Ensemble, UMBC Chamber Players, UMBC Improv Ensemble, and the University Symphony Orchestra. He has been active as a performer of works by fellow composers. He now enjoys many styles of music and tries to incorporate them into his compositional language, primarily blending classical, jazz, and impressionism. On January 1, 2024, Chris released his first solo piano album, 12 Piano Originals. He has released several compositions since then; his latest release on February 8th, 2025, Streams of Grace.