PERFORMER
Benjamin Coelho has appeared as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral musician, teacher, and clinician in several countries including the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Panama, Portugal, France, Romania, Australia, Canada, and the Czech Republic.
An avid chamber musician, he has performed with the Gramado Woodwind Quintet (Brazil), the Alaria Chamber Ensemble (New York), and the Contemporary Music Group of Minas Gerais (Brazil). As a founding member of the Manhattan Wind Quintet, Mr. Coelho performed numerous recitals and concert tours throughout the United States. The group won various chamber music competitions including Artists International, Coleman, and Monterey Peninsula Chamber Music Competition. In January of 1987, the quintet played a sold-out concert at Carnegie Recital Hall in New York.
Francis Poulenc, Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, Mvt. II - Andante
In the United State Mr. Coelho has played with the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Symphony (Iowa), The Camerata Chamber Orchestra (Indiana), The Bloomington Pops Orchestra (Indiana), The Bronx Opera Company (New York), and Orchestra Iowa. Currently, he performs as the principal bassoon with the Quad City Symphony Orchestra (Iowa/Illinois) and the Iowa Woodwind Quintet. He also worked extensively as a performer in his native Brazil, including principal positions with symphony orchestras in Rio de Janeiro, Campinas, and Belo Horizonte.
QCSO - Beethoven Symphony #9, Mvt IV
An enthusiastic proponent of new music, Mr. Coelho has commissioned, performed, and recorded many works by European, American, and Latin American composers. His recordings include Bassoon Images from the Americas (2003), released by Albany Records; Bravura Bassoon (2005), Pas de Trois (2006) released by Crystal Records, and Explorations (2007) released by MSR Classics. As a member of the group Wizards! A Double Reed Consort, Coelho has recorded two CDs released by Crystal and Boston Records in 2000 and 2003 respectively.