Biography
Ben Albertson has performed for over seventeen years throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. Ben’s recent accomplishments include his appointment as the principal harpist of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, and his distinction of being the 2023 Grand Prize Winner of the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs’ Emerging Soloists Competition. Ben was one of five Americans selected to represent the nation at the 2022 edition of the USA International Harp Competition, the world’s largest.
Other recent accomplishments include being a winner of the Corcoran Concerto Competition; being the youngest finalist in the American Harp Society’s National Competition in the Young Professional Division; his solo debut on WQXR, New York’s classical radio station; and his solo debut with the Eleva Chamber Players in Vermont. Ben is also an active chamber musician, recently recording on an album with Mayumi Seiler, a violinist on faculty at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto; making his Ohio debut at the Cathedral Concert Series; and winning third prize in the Royal Conservatory’s chamber music competition.
Ben is currently in his second year as the principal harpist of the Tucson Symphony, the 2024/25 season. Ben also plays regularly with the Phoenix Symphony, and he has performed with the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra. In March 2025, Ben will make his soloist debut with the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs in Colorado. Ben has previously performed as a soloist with orchestras such as the Royal Conservatory Orchestra in Canada and the Olympia Symphony in Washington State.
Ben received his education at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto on the full tuition merit-based Marylin and Charles E. Baillie Family Scholarship. Ben has also attended summer music festivals on full scholarships, such as the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado. Ben has studied with many of the world’s greatest harpists, such as Judy Loman. Ben is honored to play the historic original Salzedo model harp that the great harpist Carlos Salzedo himself designed and played.