Benjamin Greaves, originally from Toowoomba, was initially a student of Peter Wilson, followed by Mary Nemet; Carmel Kaine at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music; Oleh Krysa, Wanda Wilkomirska, Paul Roczek and Rudolph Coleman among others at the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne while on full scholarship. He has performed in masterclasses for Lord Yehudi Menuhin, and Maxim Vengerov. Ben was a recipient of the Westpac Scholarship, the Ronald Cliiford Davis, Robert Bosch and Creative Minds Scholarships among other bursaries. While a student he 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 Piers Lane and studied in mastercourses with both the Takacs and Australian String Quartets while a member of the regional touring String Quartet 2.24.
Recently, Benjamin has broadcast on ABC, as a solo recitalist and as a member of both Collusion and the Camerata of St John’s. He has released a CD with Collusion through Move records, In depth and anticipates the release of Camerata of St John’s latest release.
Ben, up until 2010 has been Camerata of St John's leader of second violins, touring throughout Queensland and New South Wales. He has performed on a casual basis with The Queensland Orchestra ; for such seasons as Australian Ballet seasons, Paris Opera Ballet Seasons, and Classics series. He has performed as a freelance musician for several festivals and organisations including 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 regional QLD/NSW for Musica Viva Countrywide, through Northern Nsw and the south Qld regions.
2010 will see Ben also performing with the quartet Four Elements (with Tania Fraser, Christopher Wrench and Katherine Philp) at the Tyalgum Festival, at the University of Qld and venues throughout Brisbane.
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. He will tour the Gold Coast, Mackay and Whitsunday regions in 2010. In 2009 Ben performed 60 school performances including repertoire of contemporary Australian composers.
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. 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. Several live music and dance related performances are on the drawing board! Stay tuned.
The CD In Depth, featuring four premiere releases, includes the co- winning composition of the Collusion Qld Conservatorium Composition Prize (2003-2006), a prize which Benjamin instigated.