Benjamin Lash, Cello

Biography

Benjamin Lash began studying cello at the age of six with Dean Bachus and Tanya Carey. In his early teens, as a first place winner of multiple Chicago area competitions, he performed concertos by Saint-Saens, Shostakovich, Hindemith, and Haydn. At age 17, Benjamin performed Bloch’s Schelomo with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra in Symphony Center.

More recent concerto performances include Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations and Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C Major with the Colburn Orchestra. He has performed recitals on the Music in the Loft series in Chicago and in Texel, Netherlands. Radio broadcasts include two solo appearances on NPR’s From the Top as well as WFMT’s Introductions.  An active chamber musician, his performances include the Mendelssohn Octet with Ani and Ida Kavafian and a radio broadcast of the Mendelssohn Quartet Op. 41, No. 1 on American Public Media Performance Today.  Upcoming plans include a chamber recital series with violist Paul Coletti and a performance of the Dvorak Concerto with the Brentwood Symphony Orchestra.

Benjamin has participated in summer festivals in the U.S. and Europe including the Sarasota Music Festival, Taos, Aspen, Holland International Music Sessions, and Fortissimo Fest in Sofia, Bulgaria. Benjamin taught in the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (YOLA) mentorship program for two years and is a Colburn Teaching Fellow.

Benjamin is a Bachelor of Music degree candidate at The Colburn School Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles, California where he studies with Ronald Leonard.