Who's Who at the Center for Young Musicians- Ben Filippone

Benjamin Filippone, looking sharp.

We are excited to welcome Mr. Ben Filippone to the CYM faculty this fall! Ben hails from Monroeville and joins us to direct our vocal department. Welcome, Ben!

Benjamin Filippone is active throughout the Pittsburgh area as a choir conductor and voice teacher. He directs the Mon Yough Chorale, and the University Choir at Carlow University. In addition to CYM, he also teaches voice at the Larry Cervi School of Performing Arts, and sings with the Pittsburgh Camerata. Mr. Filippone has has taught high school choir and piano, served as vocal director for musical productions, and is a former music instructor at the Chatham Music and Arts Camp. He performed the role of Ben in Menotti's "The Telephone" and recitals at the Maiski Opera Festival in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, and performed world premiers as a soloist and ensemble singer with OvreArts. He holds a BA in music education from Grove City College, a MM in vocal performance from Duquesne University, and has started doctoral work in choral conducting with a minor in music theory at the University of Arizona. He has appeared as the guest conductor for the Westmoreland County Music Educators Association Jr. High Chorus Festival, and participated for three summers as a conductor with the Sarteano Choral Conducting Workshop with Simon Carrington in Sarteano, Italy.

We wanted to know more, so we asked Mr. Ben a few questions...

CYM: Who is your favorite composer?

Mr. Ben: I couldn't possibly pick just one favorite composer! Some of my favorites include Monteverdi, Josquin, Purcell, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Vaughan Williams, Messiaen, Ginastera, and a host of contemporary composers.

CYM: What was the most memorable music performance that you experienced?

Mr. Ben: I will never forget a very unique concert I saw at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC called "A World of Voices". It was an entirely a cappella concert of various world-class vocal groups from around the world, including Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Chanticleer, Sweet Honey In The Rock, and a variety of amazing groups ranging from from Bulgaria to Mexico, and the whole thing was wittily hosted by none other than Bobby McFerrin entirely by improvised singing, without saying a single word! He brought all the groups together at the end and had them all improvising together, playing off their unique styles and vocal characteristics. I'll certainly never forget that experience!

CYM: What was your favorite childhood book?

Mr. Ben: In my early childhood, Sam and The Firefly. Later in childhood, the Encyclopedia Britannica. I wanted to learn about absolutely everything.

CYM: What us your favorite treat to eat?

Mr. Ben: Good old fashioned apple pie and anything gingerbread! 

CYM: What has music given you?

Mr. Ben: Music has given me purpose, a way to connect with others and befriend many amazing people, a way to give to others, travel opportunities, and much more. Nearly all of the most profound, unusual, character building, unexpected, and joyful experiences in life have come from music making and the pursuit of music making. More friendships and deep connections have come from musical experiences than anything else in my life as well. Language is sometimes able to describe a person's most personal and complex emotions well enough to be understood by others, but only music can make it possible to actually feel them. The wonder of this never gets old for me, and I feel the most alive when I'm experiencing it or helping others to experience it.