“Only practice on days you eat.”

- Dr. Suzuki

Mr. Ben grew up in the Boulder Suzuki Strings program, studying with renowned Suzuki pedagogue Dr. William Starr and Amy Gesmer-Packman. Amy invited him to start at age 3, because he was constantly interrupting his older sister’s violin lessons by singing her music while she was playing. He went on to earn a B.A. in Violin Performance from Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA, and Master of Music in Violin Performance from California State University, Northridge.

Mr. Ben began training to teach Suzuki violin with master teacher Liz Arbus, director of Suzuki Talent Education Pasadena. He began a small private studio in Los Angeles and soon joined the Cornerstone Music Conservatory as Assistant Director of the Suzuki program. He continued his training in the advanced levels of teaching Suzuki violin with master teacher Cathy Lee, and even repeated Unit 1 to gain greater insight into teaching beginners. Ben has served as Director of the Texas Lutheran University Community Music Academy, a program of over 250 strings and choral students, teaching both a large private studio and a beginning orchestra for the program. He has also lived in China for 5 years, is fluent in Mandarin, and taught Suzuki violin at Seed Music Academy in Hong Kong.

Mr. Ben recently won auditions for the Principal 2nd Violin title in the Fort Collins Symphony (2nd most important violinist on the stage, leading the 2nd violin section!), and to join the Cheyenne Symphony and Greeley Philharmonic as a member violinist. Ben also serves as the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra Librarian, sourcing and distributing music to all the musicians for every concert. In the past he has also been a member of the Mid-Texas Symphony, the Laredo Philharmonic, the Santa Monica Symphony, and the Walla Walla Symphony, and enjoys rehearsing and performing chamber and solo music as his schedule permits.

Mr. Ben relocated to Fort Collins in 2022. In his free and family time, he enjoys hiking, backpacking, skiing, biking, playing tabletop strategy games, and… practicing!