Benjamin Broening’s music has been called “adventurous, thoughtful, eloquent, and disarmingly direct.” His orchestral, choral, chamber and electroacoustic music has been performed in over twenty-five countries and across the United States by many soloists and ensembles including Eighth Blackbird, Charlotte Symphony, Arctic Philharmonic Sinfonietta (Bodø, Norway), Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia,,Da Capo Chamber Players and many others.

Broening is recipient of Guggenheim, Howard and Fulbright Fellowships, and has also received recognition and awards from the American Composers Forum, Virginia Commission for the Arts, ACS/Andrew Mellon Foundation, the Jerome Foundation and the Presser Music Foundation among others.

Trembling Air, a Bridge Records release of his chamber music recorded by Eighth Blackbird, has been praised as “haunting” and “enchanting” (Cleveland Plain Dealer), “magical” (Fanfare), “other-worldly” (Gramophone), and “coruscatingly gorgeous” (CD Hotlist). Critics have called Recombinant Nocturnes, a disk of music for piano recorded by Duo Runedako “ breathtaking” (World Music Report) and "deep, troubling” (François Couture). Nineteen other pieces have been released by Ensemble U: in Estonia and on the Centaur, Everglade, Equilibrium, MIT Press, Oberlin Music, Open G, Métier, New Focus, Ravello and SEAMUS record labels. 

Broening is founder and artistic director of Third Practice, an annual festival of electroacoustic music at the University of Richmond, where he is Professor of Music. He holds degrees from the University of Michigan, Cambridge University, Yale University, and Wesleyan University.