Teaching Studio
“Ben is an extremely high-level music teacher. I have learned a great deal in the lessons I’ve had with him. He inspires me to think broadly about the overarching narrative of a piece, while also bringing unforeseen details to my attention. To have a lesson with him, is to have fun exploring together the world and mind of the composer. Ben’s insight, intellect, and eloquence have undoubtedly helped me in my journey of becoming the best musician and pianist that I can be.
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As a committed artist teacher working with piano students from diverse backgrounds, Benjamin has developed a pedagogical approach that cultivates each person’s unique gifts while ensuring a solid technical foundation. Drawing on his own unorthodox musical path, he is dedicated to helping every student develop their distinctive musical personality and exceed perceived limitations, both internal and external. Benjamin possesses a particular aptitude for coaching advanced pianists in their preparation for competitions, recitals, and auditions. He successfully helps students sharpen their interpretations by imparting precise musical feedback that sheds light on the music’s essential details.
Teaching Credentials
Chargée de cours at Université de Montréal
Instructor of secondary piano students
Assistant to Professor Paul Stewart
Piano Faculty - Clayton State University Music Preparatory Division
Music Teachers National Association member and regional president
Royal Conservatory of Music teacher
Member of Québec Music Teachers’ Association
Student achievements include successful results in:
Various competitions and festivals
Royal Conservatory of Music examinations
Auditions for university music programs (Bachelors and Masters)
Solo performing opportunities
“Thank you Ben for your attention and dedication to Katie's piano lessons. She greatly enjoyed working with you and clearly improved both technically and artistically. The greatest gift that you shared with her though is helping her to get inside the music and then express that-- not an easy thing.”
- Pam, Alan and Katie Yahanda
“Benjamin has been excellent with my daughters, who are recreational students. He is gentle and patient, detail-oriented, and has an infectious love of the piano and its craft. He has helped my daughters find a musical voice on the piano and we recommend him highly.”
- Wyatt E.
Advanced Coaching
Benjamin also offers individual advanced coaching sessions to young artists. He has helped numerous university/conservatory level pianists fine tune masterpieces of the piano repertoire in preparation for competitions, recitals, and auditions.
Sample coachings:
Prokofiev Sonata No. 8
Bach 4th Partita
Schumann “Abegg” Variations
Testimonials
“As a 65-year-old returning to the piano after a lengthy interval, I initially tried to pick up where I had left off through self-study. However, it quickly became evident that I would need help, and I was fortunate enough to find Benjamin as a teacher. Although I was slightly apprehensive about taking regular lessons again, something I hadn’t done since I was a teenager, I found Benjamin to be welcoming, encouraging and supportive from the very beginning.
Over the course of our initial lessons, I realized that I would have to relearn many fundamentals I had forgotten or never fully understood. With exceptional tact and kindness, Benjamin identified the elements requiring focus and has provided ongoing guidance on how to approach each one, at a pace suited to my capacities. He clearly articulates what to do, how to do it and why it matters. When I struggle with a technique (which happens often!), he patiently repeats his advice or finds other ways of explaining it to me. Benjamin listens with thoughtful, concentrated attention to my playing every week and pushes me to improve, without losing sight of my level of proficiency and aspirations.
Benjamin has a seemingly unlimited knowledge of the piano literature, pianists and composers which he draws on to recommend videos and recordings that are educational, inspiring, and often amusing, as are the stories he sometimes shares from his own musical journey.
It is a true pleasure and privilege to be taught by a concert pianist who excels not only as a musician but also in his remarkable ability to communicate his passion for music and make his ideas accessible to others. When he plays a short passage to demonstrate a technique, or performs a longer work we’ve talked about, I am always captivated and inspired. My lessons with Benjamin are rewarding, challenging and fun, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from such a talented and engaging teacher.”
- Penelope H.
“Benjamin sait partager sa grande passion pour le piano à travers ses cours. Il est une source d’inspiration pour mon fils de 17 ans. J’apprécie que Benjamin se base sur les intérêts de mon fils pour construire de nouvelles connaissances plutôt que de partir d’un cursus pré-déterminé. Il respecte son rythme tout en lui offrant des défis pour l’amener à se dépasser.
Mon fils progresse de cours en cours de façon notable et Benjamin trouve toujours les bons mots pour stimuler sa motivation s’il a besoin d’encouragements. D’un côté plus pratique, il est très agréable et facilement joignable. De plus, son tarif est modique pour l’excellent service offert et les résultats constatés.
Merci beaucoup Benjamin!”
- Valérie S.
"In January of 2019, I decided that it was time for me to reexplore music after a nearly 20-year hiatus. I completed the first year of an undergraduate degree in piano performance back in 1999 but since then, I had put very little time or effort into practicing.
I began my search for a piano teacher who would be willing to meet me where I was at, but would also be willing to push me to a new level of musicianship. Through a twist of fate, I was introduced to Benjamin through another teacher who did not have the time to take me on as a student.
After only a few lessons, I knew that I had fallen upon a gem. Benjamin’s calm demeanour put me at ease and I immediately began to absorb the deep knowledge that he was so easily able to impart on me. I have had several qualified piano instructors throughout my lifetime, but this is the first time that someone has helped me to understand and interpret music in a way that is authentic and meaningful.
As a performer, Benjamin brings depth and expressivity into every work that he interprets. I have listened to many performers throughout the years and very few have been able to touch me in the way that I have been touched while listening to Benjamin’s playing. In a world where classical music has become saturated and flashiness often overtakes true musicality, Benjamin stands out as an authentic artist. He comes with my highest recommendations, both as a teacher and a performer."
- Sarah W.
“I am an older piano learner, and over decades I have stopped and restarted lessons several times, with big gaps in between. Every time I would get a little better with a good teacher but then promptly give up, to resume a few years later. I have now been studying with Ben for two years and, contrary to other times, I have no intention to stop. One reason why this time I find myself more committed is that Ben is just the ideal teacher for me (and not just for me, it would appear). He seems to know what I need. He helps me choose among the many pieces that I like those that are feasible at my level, sometimes gently prodding me to be a little more ambitious (or less lazy) in my choices; he gives me direction and encouragement in my practice; and he is very understanding of my limitations, while at the same time not despairing to make me get better. It works! While my 60-years-old fingers are not getting any younger, my musical appreciation and memorization is getting much better under his guidance, and playing is getting more and more fun. I have experienced several excellent teachers in my learning “career”, and I would say that Ben stands out in many key respects. First of all, one immediately senses that he genuinely cares for his students’ progress and takes personal satisfaction in helping them – which is a big incentive for students to try harder. He knows the piano literature in depth and breadth, and his knowledge helps me understand better the pieces I learn against the background of the whole piano repertoire. He can also help me with very effective technical tips and tricks that I would never have thought of and that sometimes make a challenging passage miraculously become accessible. And one thing not many piano teachers can do (because they are not at the concert pianist level) is that he can share with the student some of his professional career experience and example. So, one favorite part of the lesson is when I walk into the music room while he is playing, and I can listen for a while to the beautiful piano sound – before it gets my turn to sit at the keyboard and suddenly the piano does not sound that beautiful any more. But at least I had a glimpse of what to strive for… “
- Alessandro C.
“Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.”