Ben relocated to Fort Collins in 2022 with his wonderful family, and recently became a member of the Fort Collins Symphony. He has also been a member of the Mid-Texas Symphony, the Laredo Philharmonic, the Santa Monica Symphony, and the Walla Walla Symphony, and enjoys rehearsing and performing solo and chamber music as his schedule permits.
Ben grew up in the Boulder Suzuki Strings program, studying with renowned Suzuki pedagogue Dr. William Starr and Amy Gesmer-Packman. He went on to earn a B.A. in Violin Performance from Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA, and Master of Music in Violin Performance from California State University, Northridge.
Ben is a compassionate and focused violin teacher, with over 15 years of teaching experience and training in Suzuki Violin in Units 1-10 with master teachers Liz Arbus and Cathy Lee. Ben has served as Director of the Texas Lutheran University Community Music Academy, a program of over 250 strings and choral students, teaching both a large private studio and a beginning orchestra for the program. He has also lived in China for 5 years, is fluent in Mandarin, and taught Suzuki violin at Seed Music Academy in Hong Kong. Since arriving in Fort Collins, Ben has also joined the Off the Hook Arts and teaches free after-school group classes for the Meadowlark Music Program.
Ben is available for hire for Suzuki or traditional violin lessons for students of any age and ability level.
To inquire, please contact him directly at thomasonstudio@gmail.com or visit his website at www.thomasonstudio.com
