
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 - Great Hall
140 Westmount Rd. N.
Waterloo, ON N2L 3G6
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| Time | Name | Titles | Home Festival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time:9:30 AM | Name:Katelyn Gong | Titles: Navajo Vocable No.1 by Connor Chee Sonata in D Major, Hob. XVI:4, 1st mvt. by Franz Joseph Haydn | Home Festival:Kitchener-Waterloo |
| Time:9:40 AM | Name:Mia Ji | Titles: Blue Interlude by Martha Mier Puck, op. 71, no. 3 by Edvard Grieg | Home Festival:North York Live |
| Time:9:50 AM | Name:Yu Sun | Titles: Sonata in C Major, K 545, 1st mvt. by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Tango callejero by Mike Springer | Home Festival:Pickering GTA |
| Time:10:00 AM | Name:Leo Zhang | Titles: Tango callejero by Mike Springer Sonata in G Major, op. 49, no. 2, 1st mvt. by Ludwig van Beethoven | Home Festival:Toronto |
| Time:10:10 AM | Name:Emma Zheng | Titles: Waltz in B minor, op. 69, no. 2 by Frédéric Chopin Solfeggio in C Minor, Wq 117/2 H 220 by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach | Home Festival:Yip's |
| Time:10:20 AM | Name:Sophia Tare | Titles: Invention No. 14 in B flat Major, BWV 785 by Johann Sebastian Bach Incognito by Jason Sifford | Home Festival:Guelph |
| Time:10:30 AM | Name:Corinna Siu | Titles: Little Prelude in D Major, BWV 925 by Johann Sebastian Bach Sonata in D Major Hob. XVI:4, 1st mvt. by Franz Joseph Haydn | Home Festival:London |
| Time:10:40 AM | Name:Hannah Yao | Titles: Shooting Stars in Summer by Naoko Ikeda Solfeggio in C Minor by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach | Home Festival:Barrie |
| Time:10:50 AM | Name:Hannah Zhou | Titles: Invention No. 13 in A Minor, BWV 784 by Johann Sebastian Bach Incognito by Jason Sifford | Home Festival:Halton Hills |
| Time:11:00 AM | Name:Mia Gao | Titles: Sonatina in G Major, op. 55, no. 2, 3rd mvt. by Friedrich Kuhlau Mysterious Summer's Night by Larysa Kuzmenko | Home Festival:Take the Stage |
| Time:11:10 AM | Name:Hugo Pan | Titles: Sonata in C Major, K 545, 1st mvt. by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Incognito by Jason Sifford | Home Festival:Ottawa Piano |
| Time:11:20 AM | Name:Miranda Wang | Titles: Sonata in C Major, K 545, 1st mvt. by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Fantasia in D Minor, TWV 33:2 by Georg Philipp Telemann | Home Festival:Hamilton |
| Time:11:30 AM | Name:Vera Chu | Titles: The Little Shepherd, Children's Corner, no. 5 by Claude Debussy Little Prelude in E Major, BWV 937 by Johann Sebastian Bach | Home Festival:Peel |
| Time:11:40 AM | Name:Isaac Gong | Titles: Prelude op. 43, no. 1 by Rheinhold Glière Fantasia in D Minor, TWV 33:2 by Georg Philipp Telemann | Home Festival:Niagara |
| Time | Name | Titles | Home Festival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time:1:00 PM | Name:Aidan Tran | Titles: Sonata in C Major, K 545, 1st mvt. by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Incognito by Jason Sifford | Home Festival:Kingston |
| Time:1:10 PM | Name:Catalina Herbert | Titles: Sonata in G Minor, op. 49, no. 1, 1st mvt. by Ludwig van Beethoven Waltz in B Minor, op. posth. 69, no. 2 by Frédéric Chopin | Home Festival:IMFC |
| Time:1:20 PM | Name:Connor Lu | Titles: Sonata in C Major, K 545, 1st mvt. by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Tango callejero by Mike Springer | Home Festival:Stratford |
| Time:1:30 PM | Name:Elaine Liu | Titles: Menuet and Trio in B Minor, BWV 814 by Johann Sebastian Bach Pink (no. 6) and Crimson (no. 7) by Robert Starer | Home Festival:Ottawa Kiwanis |
| Time:1:40 PM | Name:Hei Tung Haley Lam | Titles: Little Prelude in E Major, BWV 937 by Johann Sebastian Bach Fantasia in D Minor, TWV 33:2 by Georg Philipp Telemann | Home Festival:Star-MVP |
| Time:1:50 PM | Name:Jenica Su | Titles: Sonatina in A Major, op. 59, no. 1, 1st mvt. by Friedrich Kuhlau The Ice Dancers (no. 8) by Teresa Richert | Home Festival:Chatham |
| Time:2:00 PM | Name:Chloe Yee | Titles: Sonata in C Major, K 545, 1st mvt. by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Waltz in B Minor, op. posth. 69, no. 2 by Frédéric Chopin | Home Festival:Unionville |
| Time:2:10 PM | Name:Menglan Yong | Titles: Waltz in A flat Major, op. posth. 69, no. 1 ("L'adieu") by Frédéric Chopin Rondo in C Major, op. 52, no. 6 by Johann Nepomuk Hummel | Home Festival:St. Thomas |
| Time:2:20 PM | Name:Miles Guo | Titles: The Spruce, op. 75, no. 5 by Jean Sibelius Sonata in C Major, K 545, 1st mvt. by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Home Festival:Windsor-Essex |
Workshop will be held from 2:45 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