Announcing 2022 Recipient
Gabriel Benton, harpsichord

GABRIEL BENTON enjoys a multifaceted career as a harpsichordist, organist, accompanist, and teacher. He began his relationship with ABS as a participant in the 2015 Academy, when he played in the American premiere of Marais’ opera Sémélé. Since then, he has joined ABS on many occasions including performances of Bach’s Saint Matthew Passion, three recording projects, and as a soloist in Bach’s Triple Concerto in A Minor. Sought after both as a continuo player and soloist, he regularly appears with a variety of ensembles across the country. Past collaborations include performances with La Speranza, Sonnambula, The Serafins, American Baroque Orchestra, New World Symphony, and Venice Opera Project, among others.

He began his life in music with a toy piano as a toddler. His parents took notice, got a real piano, and signed him up for piano lessons. It wasn’t until he was a teenager that he first encountered historically informed performances and was immediately obsessed. His love for early music, and especially for the creativity it requires of the performer, led him to study harpsichord performance at Oberlin Conservatory and The Juilliard School, as well as organ performance at Yale. Gabe has been the recipient of several awards including first place in the York Symphony Orchestra Youth Concerto Competition, the Earl Russel Award in historical performance, the Charles Ives organ scholarship, and two summer workshop scholarships from Early Music America.