Benjamin Amenta earned his Certificate of Performance in Piano from DePaul University in June of 2012 and has been studying with classical and jazz pianist Anthony Molinaro of Loyola University of Chicago. He has a M.M. and a B.M. in piano performance from Roosevelt University and in 2009 was a finalist in the Chicago College of Performing Arts Concerto Competition. He has attended many master classes and as a solo participant played under such renowned artists as Dr. Paul Hersh, Dr. David Schrader and Dr. Peter Vinograde. In April of 2009, he was a featured soloist at the Rising Stars Showcase, organized by the Friends of the IPO. Ben gave a graduation recital in 2012 featuring the complete J.S. Bach Sinfonias, and in June of 2011, he played a four-hand version of Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream Incidental Music with keyboardist Dr. David Schrader for an Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra Musical Feast Fundraiser.. Recently, Ben gave a recital at Church of the Holy Family in Park Forest to dedicate their new piano with repertoire including Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

He has much experience accompanying choirs and soloists. He has accompanied choirs at Thornton Township High School, Church of the Holy Family and the chancel choir at Zion Lutheran Church in Tinley Park. In addition to accompanying for the MMS, he accompanied for choruses while a student at Roosevelt University. Many soloists he has accompanied for have won scholarships for the Musician’s Club of Women and the Talent Hunt Competition.

Ben also plays organ and directs choirs. In June 2012 he directed Italian madrigals by Orazio Vecchi as Member-Conductor of the Midwest Motet Society. He has given organ recitals in the summers of 2009 and 2010 as a student of Pat Lee and is now studying with Mark Downey. He is currently the Church Musician/Choirmaster at St. Paul Episcopal Church in Munster, Indiana where he plays organ, piano and directs the choir. Ben is a dual member of the Southwest Suburban Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and the Northwest Indiana Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and is a member of ChoralNet.