Jill Benway is a flutist and educator based in Austin, Texas, known for her vibrant performance career and commitment to music education. She runs a private teaching studio in Southwest Austin, where she offers personalized flute lessons, along with instruction in piano, guitar, ukulele, voice, and music theory/ear training. Currently, Jill is a doctoral candidate in flute performance at The University of Texas at Austin, studying with Ebonee Thomas, and she is expected to receive her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 2027. Outside of her music pursuits, Jill enjoys working as an Emergency Medical Technician in the greater Austin area, as well as reading, running, and exploring the city.
As a performer, Jill showcases her skills as a soloist, ensemble musician, and collaborator in various live and virtual projects. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in December 2021 and performed as piccolo/third flute with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra during the 2021–2022 season. Additionally, she has appeared with the Atlanta Opera Orchestra as a substitute musician, including performances in their 2023 production of Wagner’s Das Rheingold.
Jill is a passionate educator and has previously served as the flute studio teaching assistant at The University of Texas at Austin. In this capacity, she provided one-on-one flute lessons to undergraduate music education majors, led fundamentals classes for early-level flute students, and taught private lessons to students at various levels, from undergraduates to doctoral candidates. She has also conducted masterclasses and provided private instruction for beginner flute students in public schools across Massachusetts, Atlanta, Chicago, and Austin. Her teaching philosophy is collaborative, curious, and supportive, focusing on building confidence and musicianship.
Jill earned her Master of Music in Orchestral Studies from the Chicago College of Performing Arts, where she studied with flutists from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Richard Graef and Emma Gerstein. During her studies, she performed with the conservatory’s Symphony Orchestra and woodwind chamber ensembles, receiving a College of Performing Arts award. She holds a Bachelor of Music from Georgia State University, where she studied under Sarah Kruser Ambrose and Jessica Petrasek. Throughout her career, Jill has performed under the baton of esteemed conductors including Eric Whitacre, Arthur Fagen, Juanjo Mena, Emanuele Andrizzi, Robert Ambrose, Michael Palmer, Guido Rumstadt, and Charles Peltz.
Jill performs on an Altus 1507 flute with an Altus 14k gold V-cut headjoint.