
Described as an “immensely exciting performer” with “scintillating technique” (Barrie Examiner), pianist Benjamin Smith has performed across Canada, the United States, and Mexico. He has been a laureate of numerous competitions, including the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition and the CMC Stepping Stone Competition. Appearances as soloist include the Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra, New Juilliard Ensemble, Las Vegas Young Artists Orchestra, Ontario Philharmonic, Orchestra London, and Burlington Symphony, with repertoire including rarities such as the Schoenberg and Schnittke piano concertos. American performances include recitals for the Texas Chopin Society and Chicago’s Landowska Harpsichord Society, as well as two concerts in Carnegie Hall. 2025 saw the release of two new albums on the Orchid Classics label, one with cellist Daniel Hamin Go, and one with oboist Ari Cohen Mann.
Devoted to chamber music, Ben has been heard nationally on CBC Music, as well as classical radio around the world. He has partnered in recital with a myriad of world-renowned artists, along with ensembles such as the Penderecki, Cecilia, and Annex string quartets. For two seasons he performed as one-third of the Israelievitch-Smith-Ahn piano trio, and currently plays as a member of the Andromeda trio.
Dr. Smith serves on the faculties of both the Glenn Gould School (GGS) and the Taylor Young Artist Academy at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto. Along with a DMA from Stony Brook University, he holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Toronto, an Artist Diploma from GGS, and a Masters from Juilliard.
Conrad Grebel University College - Chapel
140 Westmount Rd. N.
Waterloo, ON N2L 3G6
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| Time | Name | Titles | Home Festival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time:9:30 AM | Name:Michael Gu | Titles: Little Prelude in C Minor, BWV 934 by Johann Sebastian Bach Little Nocturne by Jakub Metelka | Home Festival:Unionville |
| Time:9:40 AM | Name:Sophia Huang | Titles: Little Prelude in C minor, BWV 934 by Johann Sebastian Bach Waltz, op. 39, no. 9 by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky | Home Festival:Guelph |
| Time:9:50 AM | Name:Paxson Chan | Titles: Sonatina in F Major, op. 168, no. 1, 3rd mvt.: Rondo by Anton Diabelli Ivan Sings by Aram Khachaturian | Home Festival:Yip's |
| Time:10:00 AM | Name:Rebecca Yue | Titles: River City Blues by Martha Mier Viennese Sonatina in C Major (No. 6), 4th mvt.: Finale by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Home Festival:Lakehead |
| Time:10:10 AM | Name:Benjamin Gao | Titles: Sonatina in G Major, Hob. XVI:G1, 1st mvt. by Franz Joseph Haydn Waltz in A Minor, op. posth., B 150 by Frédéric Chopin | Home Festival:Hamilton |
| Time:10:20 AM | Name:Mia Hua | Titles: Air de ballet, op. 123, no. 11 by Cecile Chaminade Sonatina in A Minor (no. 3) by Georg Anton Benda | Home Festival:Pickering GTA |
| Time:10:30 AM | Name:Matthew Wang | Titles: Miniature op. 62, no. 6 by Theodor Kirchner Sonatina in G Major op. 19/20, no. 1, 1st mvt. by Jan Ladislav Dussek | Home Festival:North York Live |
| Time:10:40 AM | Name:Annie Zeng | Titles: Toccata in E flat Major by Johann Ludwig Krebs Etude in A flat Major, op. 139, no. 51 by Carl Czerny | Home Festival:Kitchener-Waterloo |
| Time:10:50 AM | Name:Isaac Le | Titles: Sonata in G Major, Hob. XVI:G1, 1st mvt. by Franz Joseph Haydn Waltz in A Minor, op. posth., B 150 by Frédéric Chopin | Home Festival:Sudbury |
| Time:11:00 AM | Name:Alyssa Huang | Titles: Little Prelude in D Minor, BWV 926 by Johann Sebastian Bach Little Nocturne by Jakub Metelka | Home Festival:Peel |
| Time:11:10 AM | Name:Jasper Werhun | Titles: Suite in D Minor, HWV 437 Sarabande and Variations, Sarabande and Variations by George Friedrich Handel Valse in A Minor Op. Posthumous by Frédéric Chopin | Home Festival:Niagara |
| Time:11:20 AM | Name:Oscar Gao | Titles: Polonaise in B flat Major by Johann Christian Bach Sweet Mister Jelly Roll by Valerie Capers | Home Festival:Ottawa Kiwanis |
| Time:11:30 AM | Name:Taylor-Renée Forbes | Titles: Whirlwind by Dennis Alexander Little Prelude in D Minor, BWV 926 by Johann Sebastian Bach | Home Festival:Stratford |
| Time:11:40 AM | Name:Abigail Huang | Titles: Of Foreign Lands and Peoples, op. 15, no. 1, Von Fremden Lädern und Menschen by Robert Schumann Viennese Sonatina in C Major (no. 6), 4th mvt: Finale by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Home Festival:Toronto |
| Time | Name | Titles | Home Festival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time:1:00 PM | Name:Klause Yeuk Chung Zhou | Titles: Little Prelude in D Minor, BWV 926 by Johann Sebastian Bach Sonatina in F Major, op. 36, no. 4, 1st mvt. by Muzio Clementi | Home Festival:CCC |
| Time:1:10 PM | Name:Hayden Provost | Titles: Sonatina in A Minor (no. 3) by Georg Benda Spanish, op. 55, no. 5 by Agathe Backer Grøndahl | Home Festival:Chatham |
| Time:1:20 PM | Name:Stanley Bu | Titles: Little Prelude in C Minor, BWV 934 by Johann Sebastian Bach Things Bright and Beautiful RLP, Rainforest by Joanne Bender | Home Festival:IMFC |
| Time:1:30 PM | Name:Analise Li-Rogers | Titles: Waltz in A Minor, op. posth., B 150 by Frédéric Chopin Sonatina in G Major, op.19/20, no.1, 1st mvt. by Jan Ladislav Dussek | Home Festival:Ottawa Piano |
| Time:1:40 PM | Name:Israel Cabral Rodriguez | Titles: Sonatina in G Major, op. 19/20, no. 1, 1st mvt. by Jan Ladislav Dussek Dance of the Tiger Cubs by Vincent Ho | Home Festival:Barrie |
| Time:1:50 PM | Name:Yau Hei Jaden Wong | Titles: Sonatina in G Major, op. 19/20, no. 1, 1st mvt. by Jan Ladislav Dussek Happy Time Jazz by Martha Mier | Home Festival:Star-MVP |
| Time:2:00 PM | Name:Ethan Wang | Titles: Happy time Jazz by Martha Mier Sonatina in A Minor, (no. 3) by Georg Anton Benda | Home Festival:London |
| Time:2:10 PM | Name:Yishan Zhou | Titles: Gentle Breeze by Joanne Bender Giga in G major by Elisabetta de Gambarini | Home Festival:Kingston |
| Time:2:20 PM | Name:Ethan Nguyen | Titles: Sonata in G Major, Hob. XVI:G1, 1st mvt. by Franz Joseph Haydn Sweet Mister Jelly Roll by Valerie Capers | Home Festival:Windsor-Essex |
| Time:2:30 PM | Name:David Zhang | Titles: Storm at Sea by Andrew Harbridge Versetto by Domenico Zipoli | Home Festival:Peterborough |
| Time:2:40 PM | Name:Sophia Nur | Titles: Game of Patience, op. 25, no. 2 by Genari Karganov Gentle Breeze by Joanne Bender | Home Festival:St. Thomas |
Workshop will be held from 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm.
Announcement of winners will happen at the end of the workshop.
The top two competitors from this class will proceed to the playoffs.
The playoffs will be held at Conrad Grebel University College - Chapel
140 Westmount Rd. N., Waterloo, ON N2L 3G6