Benjamin Fried

A Heifetz student in both 2014 and 2016, cellist Ben Fried is pursuing his Master’s Degree in cello performance at Mannes College of Music under Heifetz faculty artist Timothy Eddy. He has performed several times on Chicago’s classical radio station WFMT, and twice on National Public Radio. As a chamber musician, he was a gold medalist in the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition’s Junior Division, and a silver medalist in the St. Paul String Quartet Competition. While at the Eastman School, he was a recipient of the prestigious Performer’s Certificate and the winner of the 2014 Eastman Cello Concerto Competition, subsequently performing Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante with the Eastman Philharmonia. He was also a granted a Take Five Scholarship from the University of Rochester, a tuition-free fifth year to study an integrated curriculum of Economics, Philosophy, and Acting. His previous teachers include Heifetz faculty members Steven Doane & Rosemary Elliott, and Hans Jensen.