Bio

Hometown:	St. Paul, MN
School:	New School University Jazz & Contempora r y Music Program
Employer:	Self-Emplo y e d

Piano and keyboard performance of Jazz, Classical, Musical Theater, and Rock in New York, NY and surrounding areas.
Benjamin leads the Vintage Jazz Quartet (http://www.vintagejazzquartet . c o m ) , which performs at clubs, business events, weddings and private parties. He is a member of Tom Abbott's Big Bang Big Band (http://www.bigbangbigband.com ) and Erika Weander's Station 23 (http://www.myspace.com/statio n 2 3 ) .

Benjamin’s lessons are non-competitive, classical and jazz inspired, private piano lessons, which include theory, composition, improvisation, sight-reading, ear training, sight-singing, and performance.

Benjamin’s approach is based on the following principles:

Each student learns differently and has different skills. Therefore, Benjamin believes that it is the teacher’s responsibility to understand the student, not the other way around.

Each student possesses different interests, usually coinciding with the student’s skills. By discovering the element of music at which the student is most skillful, Benjamin can present each brand of music as it relates to that student’s forté, developing confidence and enthusiasm.

Most importantly, learning has to be fun, as fun cultivates learning.

Benjamin relies on these principles to foster his students’ desire to study piano year after year.

Jazz Pianists: Ahmad Jamal, Antonio Farao, Armen Donelian, Art Tatum, Batiste Trotignon, Bill Evans, Brad Mehldau, Bud Powell, Butch Thompson, Chucho Valdés, Cyrus Chestnut, Dave Brubeck, Dick Hyman, Eric Reed, Fats Waller, Franck Avitabile, Herbie Hancock, Horace Silver, Jean Michel Pilc, Jelly Roll Morton, Junior Mance, Kenny Werner, Keith Jarrett, Michel Camilo, Monty Alexander, Nate Shaw, Oscar Peterson, Phineas Newborn Jr., Red Garland, Thelonius Monk, Wynton Kelly

Pop, Rock, etc.: Al Green, The Bad Plus, Beatles, Beck, Ben Folds, Björk, Bobby McFerrin, Coldplay, Earth Wind & Fire, Eric Clapton, Fiona Apple, Foo Fighters, James Brown, James Taylor, Jamiroq