Benjamin Cross was a conductor, singer, organist, and one of the first American composers.

Cross was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

. His teachers included Benjamin Carr

Benjamin Carr

Benjamin Carr was an American composer, singer, teacher, and music publisher. Born in London, he studied organ with Charles Wesley and composition with Samuel Arnold. In 1793 he traveled to Philadelphia with a stage company, and a year later went with the same company to New York, where he...

 and Raynor Taylor

Raynor Taylor

Rayner Taylor was an English organist, music teacher, composer, and singer who lived and worked in the United States after emigrating in 1792...

. Benjamin Cross was one of the founding members of The Musical Fund Society

The Musical Fund Society

The Musical Fund Society is one of the oldest musical societies in the United States founded in February 1820 by Benjamin Carr, Raynor Taylor, George Schetky and Benjamin Cross, and the painter Thomas Sully...

 as well as being one of its first directors. Benjamin Cross was father to Michael H. Cross (1833-1897) who became a notable conductor in Philadelphia.

List of works

• Strike the Harp in Praise of God - treble solo & chorus
• A Mother's Love - arranged for the piano forte