Benjamin Breen - Guest Artist
Australian/American violinist Benjamin Breen is recognized internationally for his “exceptional purity of tone” and “beguiling sensitivity” (the Strad) made his New York recital debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. His “intense emotion” and “tone tinged with gold” (Sydney Morning Herald) have led to engagements in Australia, Europe, the United States and Japan, both as soloist with orchestra, in recital, and as chamber musician. Mr. Breen is also the Artistic Director of New York’s Hudson Chamber Society, presenting intimate chamber music performances with renowned artists in Midtown Manhattan.
Breen has premiered works dedicated to him by the eminent Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe and Spanish/American composer Elisenda Fabregas. In Australia he has performed for the ABC and Musica Viva and made television appearances on ABC-TV and the 9 Network and participated in radio broadcasts on ABC-FM, ABC Radio National, 2MBS-FM & 3MBS-FM. His growing list of U.S. broadcast credits include broadcasts on WNYC, and National Public Radio stations nationwide.
Breen began studies at the age of 5 in Sydney. At 11 he entered the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music, where his teachers were John Harding and Janet Davies. After pursuing musical studies in Germany, he returned to Australia, where he participated in master classes with Valery Klimov, Igor Ozim and Raphael Hillyer. Participation in the Melbourne Summer Music Festival with Pinchas Zukerman led Mr. Breen to continue his studies in New York. At The Juilliard School, Breen studied violin with Stephen Clapp and chamber music with Samuel Sanders and Paul Doktor. He subsequently continued violin studies with violinist Harry Shub in New York, whose pedagogy influenced him greatly.
As chamber musician he has appeared at the Aspen, Next Generation, Telluride, Sitka, North-West Bach music festivals. Performances with ex-Heifetz pianist Milton Kaye led to the release of Breen’s recording of the Brahms Sonatas on the Australian Tall Poppies label available world-wide. Tall Poppies have also released “Cafe Fiddle”, an album of encores to wide critical acclaim. His instrument is from 1712 made by Giuseppe Guarneri filius Andrea – “the Boyle” with a bow by Joseph Henry, he also performs on a violin by Boris Sverdlik made in Cremona