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Composer Nicolás Lell Benavides ’10 reflects on how Santa Clara mentorship shaped his work

I come from a musical family. Growing up, I loved watching my grandfather, Eddie Garcia, play música norteña, corridos, and rancheras—songs that told the stories of our Mexican heritage. He was a well-known accordionist in our hometown, Los Ranchos, New Mexico, and seeing how his music brought people together made me want to do the same. 

Eventually, I got my chance. I started playing saxophone as a kid and practiced every day so I could be good enough to play alongside my grandfather in the church choir. Those early moments on stage together became the foundation for my career in music.

Ironically, I started at ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ as a biology major, even though music had always been a big part of my life. I thought that’s what you were supposed to do in college—pick a “serious” major and become a doctor. I wanted to explore music beyond the gigs I played with my funk band on summer breaks. So, at the start of my sophomore year, I signed up for music classes without really knowing where they might lead—and by the end, I switched my major to music altogether.

I took voice lessons with former Santa Clara music instructor Liliane Cromer, who became one of the most important teachers in my life. I had almost no formal vocal training. At the time, I couldn’t tell the difference between Beethoven and Mozart, but she met me where I was and challenged me to do hard things, like sing in German, Italian, and French. I looked forward to her class every week. 

Thanks to the incredible guidance from professor Cromer and my music theory instructors Pamela Quist, Teresa McCullough, and Pat Plude, I continued to grow as a student and performer. I worked as a teacher’s assistant for a few classes and during my junior year, I sang the lead in “The Marriage of Figaro.” Those years taught me to love and appreciate the study of music, so much that after graduation, I continued my education and earned my master’s and doctorate in music composition.

Since then, I’ve built a career as a composer, conductor, and performer, collaborating with ensembles all over the country. I also taught music theory and composition at the Colburn School and University  of Southern California. In 2024, I was honored to be named a Guggenheim Fellow. The life I’ve created along the way is just as important to me. I met my wife, Maggie, when we were both students at Santa Clara, and now we’re raising our two boys together.

Through my work, I’ve come to see that all music, across genres and cultures, is interconnected. It has always stepped in to meet a universal need, whether we need to grieve, celebrate, resist, or simply enjoy. I try to carry that idea into my own work. Sometimes, that means writing pieces like "Tres minutos," a chamber opera about the border crisis, unlawful detention, and deportation. It addresses a difficult topic, but that’s exactly why I wanted to use music as a space to explore it. My goal with this opera was to open hearts so that people could become more open to reflection and change. 

I had the chance to bring "Tres minutos" to the Santa Clara stage earlier this year and reconnect with Dr. McCollough, through the . It’s been an honor to put on performances and workshops at Santa Clara as an artist and teacher. Returning to perform in a place that has shaped my journey feels like a full-circle moment.