
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.
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church - Chapel
54 Queen St. N.
Kitchener, ON N2H 2H2
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| Time | Name | Titles | Home Festival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time:10:00 AM | Name:Jayden He | Titles: Bourrée in F Major, TWV 32:4 by Georg Philip Telemann Scherzo in A Major (no. 45) by Johann Nepomuk Hummel | Home Festival:Guelph |
| Time:10:10 AM | Name:Nina Lu | Titles: Canoeing, op. 119, no. 3 by Amy Beach Scherzo in A Major (no. 45) by Johann Nepomuk Hummel | Home Festival:Toronto |
| Time:10:20 AM | Name:Jacob Weng | Titles: Sonatina in D Major, op. 36, no. 6, 1st mvt. by Muzio Clementi Rondo-Toccata, op. 60, no. 4 by Dmitri Kabalevsky | Home Festival:Peel |
| Time:10:30 AM | Name:Lucas Li | Titles: Invention No. 8 in F Major, BWV 779 by Johann Sebastian Bach Sonata in D major, op. 4, no. 1, 1st mvt. by Muzio Clementi | Home Festival:Star-MVP |
| Time:10:40 AM | Name:Audra Dashnay | Titles: Sonatina in A Minor, op. 88, no. 3, 1st mvt. by Friedrich Kuhlau Invention No. 8 in F major, BWV 779 by Johann Sebastian Bach | Home Festival:London |
| Time:10:50 AM | Name:Maley Song | Titles: The Ringtone Waltz by Marc-Andre Hamelin Allegro in E Minor, Sonata No. 37 in E Minor by José António Carlos de Seixas | Home Festival:Sudbury |
| Time:11:00 AM | Name:Quintus Lau | Titles: Leafy Sea Dragon by Ina Dykstra Allegro in E Minor, from Sonata No. 37 inE Minor by José Antonio Carlos de Seixas | Home Festival:Take the Stage |
| Time:11:10 AM | Name:Adelle Joosse | Titles: Fantasy Bossa by Christopher Norton Sonata in G Major Hob. XVI:G1, 3rd Movement by Franz Joseph Haydn | Home Festival:Woodstock |
| Time:11:20 AM | Name:Evan Liu | Titles: Little Prelude in D Minor, BWV 935 by Johann Sebastian Bach Song of the Lark, op. 39, no. 22 by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky | Home Festival:North York Live |
| Time:11:30 AM | Name:Brennan Chaudhary | Titles: Bourrée in F Major, TWV 32:4 by Georg Philipp Telemann Banana Sorbet by Gary K. Thomas | Home Festival:Peterborough |
| Time:11:40 AM | Name:Mia She | Titles: Rondo-Toccata, op. 60, no. 4 by Dmitri Kabalevsky Sonatina in C Major, op. 88, no. 1, 1st mvt. by Friedrich Kuhlau | Home Festival:Pickering GTA |
| Time:11:50 AM | Name:YanWah Lu | Titles: Allegro in E Minor by José António Carlos de Seixas Sonatina in D major, op. 36, no. 6, 1st mvt. by Muzio Clementi | Home Festival:IMFC |
| Time | Name | Titles | Home Festival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time:1:15 PM | Name:Audrey Wang | Titles: Sonatina in C Major, op. 55, no.3, 1st mvt. by Friedrich Kuhlau Une larme (A Tear) by Modest Mussorgsky | Home Festival:CCC |
| Time:1:25 PM | Name:Deniz Kasbas | Titles: Little Prelude in D Minor, BWV 935 by Johann Sebastian Bach Romanze, op. 31, no. 7 by Reinhold Glière | Home Festival:Ottawa Kiwanis |
| Time:1:35 PM | Name:Kingson Lin | Titles: Sonatina in C Major, op. 88, no. 1, 1st mvt. by Friedrich Kuhlau Rondo–Toccata, op. 60, no. 4 by Dmitri Kabalevsky | Home Festival:Oshawa |
| Time:1:45 PM | Name:Alice Zhang | Titles: Sonatina in A Minor, op. 88, no. 3, 1st mvt. by Friedrich Kuhlau Mazurka in A flat Major, op. 24, no. 3, 1st by Frédéric Chopin | Home Festival:Windsor-Essex |
| Time:1:55 PM | Name:Youmei Zhao | Titles: Sonatina in B flat Major op. 168, no. 4, 1st mvt. by Anton Diabelli Waltz in B Minor op. 18, D 145, no. 6 by Franz Schubert | Home Festival:Barrie |
| Time:2:05 PM | Name:Rylee Chang | Titles: Leafy Sea Dragon by Ina Dykstra Banana Sorbet by Gary K. Thomas | Home Festival:Kitchener-Waterloo |
Workshop will be held from 2:30 pm to 4:00 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