Bio & CV
Having completed a Bachelor of Music at Melbourne University, Ben works as a Musical Director for theatre and regularly accompanies choirs and cabaret artists in Melbourne. In 2001 Ben took part in the Shakespeare Globe Corporation of Australia’s National Youth Festivals and, over the next seven years, worked as Musical Director educating young musicians from around Australia & New Zealand in how to write music for theatre. He has also worked at Ballarat University, Jason Coleman's Ministry of dance and other education institutes tutoring in voice and audition workshops, music theory and piano.
Ben has been Musical Director, Assistant Musical Director and Musical Advisor on many projects both in and out of his time at Melbourne University, and appeared as accompanist on the ABC's 'Choir of Hard-knocks'. He has also played for many theatre pieces, including playing for the Melbourne season of Spamalot and was rehearsal/stage pianist for The Production Company’s Mame.
EDUCATION
2010
Piano/Theory/Voice teacher – TripleThreat Academy, Essendon
Teaching a morning theory/musicianship course, followed by a musical theatre repertoire class, then private voice lessons to full-time students at the TripleThreat Academy.
February 2010 – Current
Piano teacher – Brighton Secondary College
Teaching piano privately at Brighton Secondary College.
February 2009 – 2010
Voice & Music Theory teacher – Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance
Creating a year long course in vocal technique and production, audition workshops, group singing, repertoire classes and also AMEB music theory.
February 2009 – June 2009
Singing Lecturer – Ballarat University
Teaching voice at Ballarat University in the actors course at the Arts Academy. First years – basic vocal technique/group singing, Second years – Stanislavski methods in regards to musical audition pieces.
June 2008 – September 2008
Musical Director/Keyboards – Godspell (Catholic Education Offices - Sandhurst Region)
Over a ten-week period, training young people aged 14-18 in theatre skills for components of a Cert IV in dramatic arts, also incorporating VCE components. Musical director/keyboard player in a two week season taking place in Shepparton and Wangaratta, arranging music for a 80-120 strong student choir built from primary students from multiple schools within the local area. Dir. Matthew Emond.
January 2007
Musical Theatre Teacher – The National Theatre St Kilda, Summer School Program
Educating children in musical theatre performance techniques, during a series of creative workshops.
August 2002 – October 2007
Musical Director – Shakespeare Globe Centre Australia
Overseeing all musical aspects in six yearly production and teaching a number of young musicians how to compose music for stage. Production was comprised of a group of around forty children aged 16-18 from all around Australia/New Zealand. Also, living with and acting as chaperone over the 10-day period. Dir. Diana Denley
Love’s Labours Lost 2002, Pericles 2003, Cymbaline 2004, Two Gentlemen of Verona 2005, Titus Andronicus 2006, Timon of Athens 2007.
PERFORMANCES
September 2009 - Musical Director/2nd Keyboards Songs for a New World Devanesen Productions
Dir. Sunny Devanesen
August 2009 – 1st Keyboard Sideshow Octave Theatre
Mus Dir. Jonathan Skovron
March 2009 – Pianist My Homeland The Old Van (Mildura Old Homestead)
Accompanist for new piece of theatre written by Tracy Bourne, involving the local Koorie community in the Mildura area. Dir. Fiona Blair
November 2008 – Musical Director/Pianist Pink Magnormos (Atheneaum Theatre)
Musical director for Magnormos' OzMade Musicals production of Pink, a new work written by Joanna White. Dir. Paul Watson
October 2008 & March 2009 – Composer Melbourne Model: The Musical CRUNCH (Union House Theatre)
One of the composers for CRUNCH'S production of Melbourne Model: The Musical. A sold out week season in 2008 and then remount in the 2009 Melbourne Comedy Festival.
October 2008 – Musical Director/Arranger/Pianist Her Aching Heart Wishing Well Production
Fourth season of show. After previous seasons this season was organised and funded by Perth Pride and various Perth venues. Dir. Beth Child.
Previous seasons: November 2007 (Adelaide Feast – Little Theatre), October 2007 (Melbourne Fringe – Gasworks), January 2007 (Melbourne Midsumma – Trades Hall. Dir. Sarah McCusker)
September/October 2008 – Rehearsal/Performance Pianist Mame The Production Company
The Production Company's production of Mame, starring Rhonda Birchmore. Mus Dir. Peter Casey.
July 2008 – 1st Keyboard The Last Five Years Devanesen Productions
Mus Dir. Trevor Jones
June 2008 - Musical Director/Arranger Hobson's Choice 3 Big Men
Dir. Richard Sarrell
May 2008 – Musical Director Sweeney Todd Throwback Players
Dir. Gavin Ballard
December, 2007 - March 2008 – Dep 3rd Keyboard Monty Python's Spamalot Her Majesty's Theatre Melbourne
Mus Dir. Peter Casey
July-October 2006 – Musical Director/Pianist Do or Die UMMTA
A new Australian musical by Craig Christie and Andrew Patterson. Dir. Naomi Smith
August 2006 – Music Advisor Rageboy Melbourne University Union House Theatre
Assisted in writing a piece of music for a multimedia component of the performance of a new Australian work.
March-May 2006 – Rehearsal Pianist/2nd Keyboard Working Melbourne University Union House Theatre
Dir. Susie Dee, Mus Dir. Mark Jones
September 2005-March 2006 – Composer Collaboration 17 Curator-Mikala Tai
A group of 17 students comprising of musicians, artists and one curator collaborate; the artists creating a work each by taking inspiration from the performance of one musician’s favourite piece or original composition. Featured in ArtAlmanac Feb, 2006.
March-May 2004 – Musical Director/”Bobby” Divorce Me Darling UMMTA
Dir. Emma Leaver
October 2003 – Musical Director Merrily We Roll Along UMMTA
Dir. Pat Gracey
March-May 2003 – Pianist Dance With The Devil UMMTA
Mus Dir. Katie Sfetkidis
October 2002 – Assistant Musical Director/Pianist The Boyfriend UMMTA
Dir. Scott Dunsdon
CABARET
February 2009 – Musical Director/PianistWrongtown (Adelaide Fringe Season - SOLD OUT)La Boeme
Perf. Claire Bowman, Zoe McDonald, Rose Sejean
February 2009 – Musical Director/PianistWrongtown: The Road to AdelaideThe Butterfly Club
Perf. Claire Bowman, Zoe McDonald, Rose Sejean
November 2009 – Musical Director/PianistSongs and Cabaret: Criminal Intent Spenserslive
Perf. Peter Dutton
June 2009 – Musical Director/Pianist Wrongtown The Butterfly Club
Perf. Claire Bowman, Zoe McDonald, Rose Sejean
March 2008 – Musical Director/Pianist Reuben Krum: It's All Fun & Games 'till Someone Looses and Eye Northcote Town Hall
Perf. Reuben Krum
January 2008 – Musical Director/Pianist Reuben Krum is Crass & Vulgar The Butterfly Club
Perf. Reuben Krum
January 2008 – Musical Director/Pianist A Tribute to Poppins The Butterfly Club
Perf. Jonathan Cook
November 2007 – Musical Director/Pianist Reuben Krum's Naughty Show The Butterfly Club
Perf. Reuben Krum
October 2007 – Musical Director/Pianist L'Australie Melbourne Fringe - Paris Cat
Dir. Richard Pettifer, Perf. Frederica Cunningham, Kali Hulme, Penny Yewers
August/September 2007 – Writer/Musical Director/Pianist/Accordionist One Life to Live MUDFest 10, Carlton Courthouse
Writer, pianist and Musical Director for a self-devised cabaret work, funded by an award from the Melbourne University Union House Theatre. Dir. Amy Turton, Perf. Jayne Lovelock, Erin Tasmania
April 2007 – Musical Director/Pianist One Way Ticket to Nowhere Melbourne Comedy Festival, The Paris Cat
Dir. Adam Tonking, Perf. Eva Anagnostou, Frederica Cunningham, Penny Yewers, Nick Kong, Edward Smith, Adrian Glaubert
ACCOMPANIMENT
August 2006 – July 2007
Rehearsal/Performance Pianist – The Choir of Hard Knocks
Melbourne's first choir for homeless and disadvantaged people. The set up of this choir was filmed by the ABC and put together as a documentary aired mid-2007. Accompanied the group on many occasions including three performances at the Sydney Opera house in July 2007. Album released in 2007, went gold and won an Aria Award.
October 2004 – Current
Rehearsal/Performance Pianist – Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus/Youth Chorus
Accompanist for Australia’s first Gay and Lesbian chorus and first youth chorus. Rehearsing weekly, performing across Australia and internationally multiple times a year.