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Ben
DMA, M.Mus, B.Mus
English - French
Cello
'I believe that music is an inherent ability that is best encouraged with a flexible approach.' - Ben
Teaching Philosophy
I believe that music is an inherent ability that is best encouraged with a flexible approach. The satisfaction of learning an instrument comes from the enjoyment of making personal progress while fostering self-expression. Following one’s natural intuition guided by the proper technique leads to the innate ability to learn and unlock one’s creative potential. Learning music should not be a one-size-fits-all approach, but one that allows room for freedom of learning.
Education
Currently I live in Toronto providing private lessons for children and adults who desire to make music. My approach to teaching caters to a natural way of playing that promotes physical wellbeing and ease for rapid progress. My teaching style encourages students to learn and explore while simultaneously learning how to creatively solve problems on their own. In the past ten years I have taught children and adult students in private and group lessons in BC and Toronto. While living in BC I was a founding teacher for an El Sistema school that provided free music lessons to children from various financial backgrounds in Abbotsford for three years. During my time as an instructor at this school, I became experienced with teaching group lessons to children between the ages of 7-15. I also have taught private lessons for children and adult students at all levels of musical experience. For the past four years I have been a cellist and freelance musician in the city of Toronto. In 2015 I completed a master’s degree in performance at the University of Toronto and I am currently pursuing a doctorate under the guidance of Joseph Johnson, the principal cellist of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. During my university studies I served as the principal cellist of the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the University of Toronto Opera Orchestra, and I am currently a Teacher’s Assistant for Orchestral studies at the University of Toronto for Uri Mayer.
Teaching & Skills
My passion for teaching and performing came from my first cello teacher who taught me the importance of learning music with passion and to follow my natural curiosity. His tutelage inspired me as a young student to inspire students in their passions to learn music and to encourage their natural curiosity. He was an exemplary model that demonstrated the importance of a teacher who understands their students and enhances their learning through natural guidance. From an early age he made a lasting impression on me and how I teach. My musical education and training have been classically focused; however, my teaching methods cater to various styles of learning. As a performer I have accumulated a wide variety of skills by performing in different ensembles and settings. I have had extensive experience and training in orchestral performance with recognized orchestras such as the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, the National Academy Orchestra of Canada, and the Royal Conservatory Orchestra. In addition, I have performed in many chamber ensembles for various festivals and tours in Canada and the United States. All these experiences have provided me the flexibility to teach beginning students and more advanced players of all ages.
Awards, Honors & Experiences
As a solo musician, I have collaborated multiple times in recital with the pianists Jennifer Lim, and Krystyna in the Greater Vancouver area. This past summer I was a featured artist for the newly launched contemporary music festival HATCH and performed in the Toronto Summer Music Festival, Ottawa Chamberfest, and the Festival of the Sound. During the tour I collaborated with members of Canada’s renowned contemporary music ensemble Continuum and recognized composers such as Linda Caitlin Smith, James Rolfe, and Brian Current. I have also performed as a soloist with the Octava Symphony Orchestra in Seattle, the Abbotsford Symphony Orchestra, the Chilliwack Symphony Orchestra, and the Chilliwack Metropolitan Orchestra performing cello concertos by Haydn, Schumann, and Dvorak. Most recently, I have performed in fundraisers as a featured artist to raise funds for a women’s shelter and refugee’s and I presented a lecture recital at the 2019 Western University Graduate Symposium on Music. As a chamber musician, I have performed in masterclasses for recognized ensembles such as the St. Lawrence String quartet, the New Orford Quartet, the Julliard Quartet, Quartet Ebene, the Prazac Quartet, the Gryphon Trio, the Brooklyn Ride Quartet, and the Jupiter Quartet. I have also had been an invited artist for the Orford Summer Music Festival and in the summer of 2018, I was a member of an all Canadian quartet that was invited on scholarship to participate in the Madeline Island Chamber Music Festival in Wisconsin. In addition, I have also been the winner of the Haydn Quartet Challenge two years in a row, and a first-place winner of the Galamir Chamber Competition at the University of Toronto.