Benjamin Greaves

Ages 4 years and up

Pricing: From $80 per hour (standard rate). Neg depending on willingness to advance pay and pay on time.

Lessons in Brisbane are scheduled weekly at a mutually convenient time. Confident and experienced with beginner students to advanced levels. Lesson style is variable dependant on student/parent goals. Theoretical studies are important, as are chamber music skills ╨ teacher will play duets with student, and opportunities may exist for joining a new chamber music program designed for secondary students.

Currently vacancies exist for a small number of students to begin in 2016 at Woody Point studio however an interview/audition with parent and student is required to commence lessons at Clayfield in 2016 (places are very limited). Commitment to daily practise, progression, and the ability to accept the teachers musical and technical instructions with enthusiasm is required at all times.

Ben has held previous teaching positions at Moreton Bay College, St Peters Indooroopilly, and Hillbrook Anglican. Students have achieved diploma levels and tertiary entrance. Others just enjoy continuing playing music, and are involved in Queensland Youth Orchestra and Australian Youth Orchestra programs while continuing with other fields of study at tertiary level.

Benjamin Greaves, originally from Toowoomba, was a student of Peter Wilson and Mary Nemet. Further studies were undertaken with Carmel Kaine, Oleh Krysa, Wanda Wilkomirska, Paul Roczek and Rudolph Coleman among others at the Qld Conservatorium and Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne while on full scholarship. He has performed in masterclasses for Lord Yehudi Menuhin, and Maxim Vengerov. He has broadcast on ABC, as a solo recitalist and as a member of both Collusion. He has released a CD with Collusion through Move records, In depth. He has performed on a casual basis with The Queensland Orchestra; for such seasons as Australian Ballet seasons, Paris Opera Ballet Seasons, the Maestro and Classics series. A regular at festivals and as a freelance with Musica Viva Countrywide, Bangalow, Brisbane, Queensland, X, Bonyi, with the Southern Cross Soloists, the Australian Rock Orchestra, Il Divo, Evocations, InC, Restrung, plus Tyalgum among others. In 2008 and 2009 Ben toured QLD/NSW for Musica Viva Countrywide. Ben also performs with the Tulipwood String Quartet. Since 2007 Greaves has performed for Musica Viva Australia╒s In Schools program, performing live music for up to 20 000 primary school aged children Queensland and Australia wide. He is also a presenter for Musica Viva╒s Musician in the classroom.

Ben’s interest as a musician performing live music for dance has seen him perform with live dancers in the following productions. With Elise May and Andrew Corey in Callesthesia; and with director Karlo Bran and circus performers Leah Reutens, both for Collusion╒s Evocations Series at the Brisbane Powerhouse. Ben has also worked in close association with choreographer/dancer Gareth Belling on several occasions, having performed for Collusion╒s 2008 Subscription Series and for several of Gareth╒s creations with Queensland Ballet.

He recently received an Arts Qld professional development grant, travelling to the Czech Republic in 2011 to work closely with musicians Solomia Soroka, Daniela Souckova, Frantisek Soucek, Kirsten Yon, Jiri Zigmund and Rodney Friend.

As an undergraduate student Ben was a recipient of the Westpac Scholarship, the Ronald Clifford Davis Prize, Creative Sparks Scholarships among other bursaries. He has toured internationally to Europe and China with the Australian Youth Orchestra, was concert-master of the Conservatorium Symphony on several occasions; performed chamber music with renowned pianist Piers Lane and studied in master-courses with both the Takacs and Australian String Quartets while a member of the regional touring String Quartet 2.24.