Franz Benda (Czech: František Benda; baptised 22 November 1709 – 7 March 1786) was a Bohemian violinist and composer. He was the brother of Jiří Antonín Benda, and he worked for much of his life at the court of Frederick the Great. King Frederick the Great on his request took care of relocation of the whole family suffering from religious oppression (parents and siblings) in Potsdam. Benda died in Potsdam. The Benda Chamber Orchestra, which carries and honors the name of the Benda musical family, was founded in 1956 in Ústí nad Labem, North Bohemia, Czech Republic.