NEWS

The semester is beginning to wrap itself up and I have 2 new compositions
to show for it!

One of which, 'Ekphrasis,' is a song for soprano and piano that tells the story of the fall of Icarus through the imaginitaive, musical, literary words of poet Danielle Davidson.

In addition, video and audio footage of the concert at the AA Synagogue in January 2009 and the February performances with
Aurora Borealis
soon to come.

“Benjamin Warsaw, an Eastman Conservatory student and semi-finalist, whose pristine, spirited account of the Stravinsky Sonata easily won the public's admiration.” — Clavier Magazine, September 2004.

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Benjamin Warsaw began his piano studies at the age of eight. While in Atlanta, Benjamin studied piano with Angela Oyzboyd at the European School of Music and with Dr. Cary Lewis, retired Professor of Piano at Georgia State University. Currently working to achieve his Doctorate in Piano Performance under the tutelage of Anthony di Bonaventura at Boston University, Benjamin actively pursues a career as classical pianist, teacher, and accompanist. Benjamin graduated with both Bachelor’s (‘05) and Master’s (‘07) degrees from the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY, where he studied piano with Ms. Rebecca Penneys.

Benjamin has performed in numerous solo and ensemble concerts and played in masterclasses for various distinguished artists. In May of 2007, Benjamin gave his New York City debut at Victor Borge Hall, located in the Scandinavia House, NY, NY. Benjamin played for many members of the Eastman faculty, including John Graham, Lynn Blakeslee, Jean Barr, Zvi Zeitlin, and members of the Ying Quartet. As an accompanist he accompanies instrumentalists of all types, including strings, winds, and voice. He currently is employed as pianist for the Boston Ballet Company and School, Boston, MA, and at the Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre, Cambridge, MA. Former ballet experience includes accompanying the Atlanta Ballet School, Chautauqua School of Ballet, and Hochstein School of Music and Dance.

In the summers of 2000-2003 and 2006, Benjamin continued his studies with Ms. Penneys at the Chautauqua Institute for the Arts. He received second prize in the Chautauqua International Solo Piano competition in 2006 and was a finalist in 2000 and 2002. During the summer of 2004, Benjamin attended the International Keyboard Festival in New York City, where he was a semi-finalist in the piano competition. This past summer Benjamin participated in the Brandywine International Piano Festival held at West Chester University. In addition, Benjamin had the privilege of playing for internationally acclaimed concert pianist, Earl Wild, and has collaborated with a number of renowned musicians, including Evan Wilson, Neil Rynston, Zvi Zeitlin, members of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and is a guest artist of the New York based ensemble, Vista Lirica. During the summer of 2008, Benjamin attended the Banff Center Piano Master Classes, Alberta, Canada, where he studied privately under Anton Kuerti and Hamish Milne.

Benjamin teaches all levels of piano students, including beginning children, advanced students, and adults. He has taught piano to open enrollment students at the Chautauqua Institute in the summers of 2003 and 2006 and had numerous private students during his time spent in Rochester. During his Master’s degree, Benjamin was a Teaching Assistant at the Eastman School of Music where he taught group and private piano lessons to undergraduates. Benjamin is currently receiving a Teaching Assistantship and teaches group piano lessons to Boston University students.

Throughout his studies, Benjamin has been awarded various scholarships. During his summers at Chautauqua, Benjamin received the Esther Bleich Scholarship. At Eastman he was the recipient of the Howard Hanson Scholarship, the George Eastman Grant, and the Jewish Educational Loan Foundation (JELF). In 2005, JELF asked Benjamin to present his story and perform for the annual Sunday Brunch Conference, Atlanta, GA. Currently, Benjamin is receiving the Boston University General Scholarship.

A lover of many art forms, Benjamin and his younger brother, Chef Ari Warsaw, form the unique duo Musical Cuisine, which offers hours of in-house concerts in conjunction with catering by Chef Ari. In December 2007, the services of Musical Cuisine were auctioned off at the annual Wellesley Chamber of Commerce Auction, Wellesley, MA.

For more information on Benjamin, including booking, piano lessons, and questions please contact me.

© 2008 Benjamin Warsaw