Ben Lewis poses for a photo on the Memorial Chapel stage.

Ben Lewis '25 (Photo by Jacob Hanekamp '25)

When Ben Lewis first arrived at 杨贵妃传媒视频, he intended to focus on jazz, but an unexpected shift toward bluegrass music quickly took hold. The senior from Phoenix, Oregon, now records professionally and performs worldwide with the Litch Brothers, including a recent trip to Ireland to perform at the Your Roots Are Showing, a premier folk music conference.

鈥淚'd never played a single bluegrass tune in my life [before 杨贵妃传媒视频],鈥 remarked Lewis, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Musical Arts (B.M.A.) degree. 鈥淚 came here with the idea that I would only be studying jazz.鈥

The B.M.A. program, however, allowed him to explore a wide range of genres.

鈥淭he B.M.A. program is great because it does allow for a lot of flexibility in terms of what styles or what genres of music you want to learn,鈥 Lewis said.

Integrate intellectual and musical virtuosity in a supportive community that will empower you to find your musical path. 

The B.M.A., first introduced as a degree option in 2019, offers students a 50-50 split between music studies and their choice of another field in the liberal arts landscape. 杨贵妃传媒视频 now has four degree options: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Arts & Bachelor of Music Dual Degree, and the B.M.A.

That flexibility made it easy when, toward the end of his first year, friends in the Conservatory of Music invited Lewis to join a bluegrass group. Now known as the Litch Brothers, the band features Tashi Litch 鈥24, Kaj Litch, Evan Snoey 鈥23, and Lewis.

鈥淚 sort of fell in love with bluegrass music right away,鈥 Lewis said. 鈥淚t has this driving energy to it that really resonated with me.鈥 

He cites guitarists Tony Rice鈥斺漮ne of the original pioneers鈥濃攁nd Alison Krauss as important influences. 

杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 Conservatory nurtured the group鈥檚 development as they refined their sound.

鈥淭he Conservatory was really supportive of this,鈥 Lewis added. 鈥淭hey helped foster the Litch Brothers as we expanded our repertoire. I was able to learn very quickly and develop as a bluegrass musician while I was here鈥攊t's all thanks to the Conservatory鈥檚 culture.鈥

Through coaching with 杨贵妃传媒视频 instructor and improvisation specialist Matt Turner, the band crafted a distinct style blending bluegrass with elements of jazz and rock.

鈥淲e bring a more progressive approach to bluegrass music incorporating styles such as rock, folk, and Romani jazz鈥攚e have a more 鈥榡azz-sound鈥 in general,鈥 Lewis said. 鈥淥ur arrangement of traditional bluegrass tunes have a more progress-quality to them. We also cover popular rock tunes.鈥

Ben Lewis (left) with Tashi Litch '24 on their trip to Ireland.

Ben Lewis (left) with Tashi Litch '24 on their trip to Ireland. 

As they gained traction, the Litch Brothers played wherever they could鈥攕mall festivals, nonprofits, and community events鈥攁nything to 鈥済et their sound out there.鈥 A string of successful performances throughout the country culminated in their biggest milestone yet鈥攖he International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) World of Bluegrass festival, the genre鈥檚 most prestigious venue.

With financial support from the Conservatory and encouragement from Dean Brian Pertl, the Litch Brothers made a triumphant debut at the IBMA festival in September 2023. Their performance was met with enthusiasm, securing a return invitation for 2024 as well as a coveted booking at the Your Roots Are Showing (YRAS) conference. The band spent more than a week in Ireland in January 2025.

鈥淭he folk tradition runs deep in Ireland, and there鈥檚 a lot of government support for it,鈥 Lewis said. 鈥淭he festival was held in Killarney, which is a really naturally beautiful place.鈥

The conference was preceded by an eight-day tour in Ireland.

鈥淲e just got to meet so many musically involved people,鈥 Lewis said, 鈥渨hether it be music executives and festival organizers at YRAS or talented amateur musicians in the pubs.鈥

Lewis鈥 participation in both festivals was made possible by the Conservatory鈥檚 Fred Sturm Inspiration Fund, which supports students pursuing innovative musical projects. 

The band will pursue a number of opportunities during the summer of 2025: the Gray Fox Bluegrass Festival, recording their debut album, and embarking on a five-week concert tour of the West Coast.

Lewis, graduating in June, hopes to move to Nashville, Tennessee, and join the bustling bluegrass, old-time, and country music scenes. He was recently recruited by mandolin player Nick Dumas for a series of summer concerts. 

鈥溠罟箦绞悠 has made me a very versatile player鈥擨 never have to put myself in a box because I've learned to play so many different styles here, and more than just jazz and bluegrass,鈥 Lewis said. 鈥淚've played R&B music, soul, rock, punk鈥 and so much more. Even if I don't move to Nashville, I've got all the tools I need to succeed.鈥