About

Benjamin Smolen has performed across the globe, from the United States to Europe, Russia, and Japan. He joined the Pacific Symphony Orchestra in 2011, where he holds the Valerie and Hans Imhof Principal Flute Chair. Since beginning his studies at the age of ten in Charlotte, North Carolina, he has won First Prize at the Haynes International Flute Competition and James Pappoutsakis Memorial Flute Competition and Second Prize at the New York Flute Club Young Artist Competition and National Flute Association Young Artist Competition. He has also given solo performances with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Gardner Webb Symphony Orchestra, Princeton University Orchestra, Charlotte Civic and Youth Orchestras, and on National Public Radio’s From the Top with pianist Christopher O’Riley.

Benjamin has had the privilege to work with a wide variety of contemporary composers including Robert Beaser, John Harbison, Helmut Lachenmann, Paul Lansky, Lei Liang, Pauline Oliveros, Steve Reich, and Joseph Schwantner. He has also performed with renowned conductors Herbert Blomstedt, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Gustavo Dudamel, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, Kurt Masur, Edoardo Muller, Robert Spano, Jaap van Sweden, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Hugh Wolff. His performances have been featured on NPR, WGBH-Boston, WDAV-Charlotte, Performance Today, French National Radio, and the Naxos and Mode record labels. Benjamin has also had the opportunity to work in the Hollywood scoring industry with many esteemed film composers including John Williams, Danny Elfman, Alan Silvestri, and Joel McNeely and can be heard on films such as Monsters University, A Million Ways to Die in the West, Planes, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Night at the Museum, and on Neil Young's latest album, Storytone.

In addition to his work on the stage, Benjamin has been a featured guest artist and teacher at educational institutions across the United States. Recent engagements include Chapman University, CSU-Long Beach, CSU-Fullerton, San Diego State University, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of California at Irvine, the Symphony Guild of Charlotte, the Long Beach Summer Flute Institute, and Jim Walker's Beyond the Masterclass.

Benjamin completed his undergraduate studies in the Music and Slavic departments at Princeton University, during which time he also completed a Performance Diploma at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and studied with Michael Parloff, Jayn Rosenfeld, and Aleksandr Golyshev. He earned a Master of Music degree in Flute Performance at the New England Conservatory where he studied with Paula Robison. He pursued additional studies at the University of Michigan with Amy Porter and twice as a Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center with Elizabeth Rowe.

Music

Telemann, 12 Fantasies for solo flute
Sidney Lanier, Wind-Song for solo flute
Robert Dick, Lookout for solo flute
Steve Reich, Vermont Counterpoint for flute and tape
Robert Beaser, Mountain Songs for flute and guitar
Shostakovich, 2 Fugues for flute and guitar
F.J. Haydn, London Trio No. 1 arr. for flute and guitar
Carl Fruhling, Fantasie for flute and piano
Debussy, L'Isle Joyeuse arr. for flute and piano
Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody for flute, oboe, string quartet
Concerning Hobbits for flute and string quartet
Rossini, Overture to Barber of Seville for flute and string quartet
Various flute duo repertoire

Videos