Ben recently played the national anthem at a Utica Blue Sox baseball game. “Ben is incredibly talented, but he’s really a product of hard work. It’s early to know where he’s going to go, but he’s working really hard and we’re really proud of him,” said Ben's father, JP Kidwell.Īnd with that support, Ben can still be a kid for now. I got really excited when I saw Billy Joel’s drummer, because Billy Joel is probably my favorite singer ever,” said Kidwell. “I was like, ‘Oh my God!’ It made me really happy like doing it. The video received more than 1.3 million views and received thousands of compliments online. However, his biggest moment so far came when his dad submitted this video of Ben performing Billy’s Joel’s "Piano Man" to “The Pianist” Facebook page. He’s played at numerous sites in his community and he even received a letter from Senator Schumer who commended him for his talent. He loves both of his teachers," said Ben's mother Christina Kidwell.īen has learned quite a few songs in a short time.Ī few years ago, he scored high on the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Test. He gets up, he practices every single morning, at least an hour before school. He takes lessons with instructors a few times a week, but practices every morning with his mother. The soon-to-be fourth grader has been playing the piano for about three years. “I’ve always liked the sound of it, and I like to put smiles on other people’s faces,” said Kidwell. He likes his brothers, baseball and jumping on his trampoline, but he also loves playing. Kidwell has the same interests as most other boys his age. A video of Ben Kidwell, 8, from Utica was recently posted on “The Pianist” Magazine Facebook page as he performed Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” The nonprofit organization is dedicated to presenting high-quality performances of chamber music repertoire and is comprised of Simon Maurer, violin Dana Allaband, violin Agnès Maurer, viola Ai-Lin Hsieh, cello and Xun Pan, piano.A young boy from Utica is getting attention from around the world on social media for his piano skills. May 5, the Gabriel Chamber Ensemble will close the 2022-23 series. Pan, a Steinway artist, has been internationally recognized and awarded, and Ni is the Philadelphia Orchestra’s principal cellist who’s been praised as “soulfully expressive” by the Washington Post. 4 at The Trust with a joint performance by Ma’s instructor, Xun Pan, and cellist Hai-Ye Ni. The LIPF concert series will continue at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at or lbc.edu/events. He has won several prizes in many international piano competitions, including first prize in the Junior Group at the Lancaster International Piano Festival Piano Competition as well as the Golden Prize and the Best Performance of Liszt Piano Works Prize at the World Piano Teachers Association International Piano Competition. Xun Pan since the age of 14, will perform works by Beethoven and Chopin. Market St., downtown Lancaster, and will feature award-winning virtuosic prodigy Qianxiang “Daniel” Ma, a 17-year-old junior at Lancaster Mennonite High School. The Trust Performing Arts Center will partner with Lancaster International Piano Festival (LIPF) during the 2022-23 season for three concerts featuring some of the world’s best musicians.
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