Priscilla Benitez is an actual Arizona native who grew up attending Tempe schools. She started playing the piano at the age of five and added violin at eight. She received her degree in music performance from Arizona State University where she served as concertmaster of the University Orchestra and the Lyric Opera Theatre Orchestra. After graduation from ASU, Priscilla began playing for several local ensembles including Arizona Opera Orchestra, Musica Nova, and the Sun City Symphony (now the West Valley Symphony). For the past 18 years Priscilla also worked as an orchestra teacher in the Tempe Elementary School District. She recently retired from Connolly Middle School, where she taught 250 enthusiastic 6th-, 7th- and 8th-graders annually. She maintains a busy private music studio. While Priscilla enjoys playing in orchestras and teaching young musicians, one of her favorite activities is playing chamber music. The Allegro Quartet allows her to enjoy that passion as she performs with some of the best musicians in Arizona for really nice people at fabulous and fun events.