He was the first graduate to earn a voice degree specializing in early music at the Oberlin Conservatory (Ohio) and he also received a degree in German Literature from Oberlin College (1974). During his student years, he worked professionally in New York City, performing in North America and Europe as a member of the New York Pro Musica. Following graduation from Oberlin, he was awarded a Thomas J. Watson Foundation Fellowship, specifically intended to finance a "Wanderjahr" for the study of medieval song.

Subsequently he received an advanced degree ("Diplom fuer Musik des Mittelalters") from the Schola Cantorum in 1977, where he and Barbara Thornton first formed Sequentia. Following Barbara Thornton's tragic death in 1998, Benjamin Bagby is now the sole director of Sequentia.

The years 1977-1999 have been almost uniquely devoted to the work of Sequentia. Mr. Bagby, in collaboration with Barbara Thornton, created over 60 innovative concert programs that encompass the entire spectrum of medieval music, giving performances all over the world. They also produced music-theater projects like Hildegard von Bingen's Ordo Virtutum, the Cividale Planctus Marie, the Bordesholmer Marienklage and Heinrich von Meissen's Frauenleich.

Apart from the small ensemble work of Sequentia, Mr. Bagby devotes his time to the solo performance of Anglo-Saxon oral poetry (an acclaimed bardic performance of Beowulf receives at least 20 performances yearly worldwide), the medieval harp, and directing the Sequentia ensemble of men's voices, Sons of Thunder, a vocal ensemble for the performance of medieval liturgical polyphony and chant.

In addition to researching and writing program books for festivals, concert series and booklets, Mr. Bagby has written about performance practice. As a guest lecturer and professor, he has taught courses and workshops all over Europe and the USA. In 2000 he was a Krieger Fellow at Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland), and in 2001 he is a Patten Lecturer at Indiana University.