Violin and Piano Recital – Jenna Stewart & Ben Marsden

Jenna is 17 years old and has been learning the violin since the age of 7. Jenna has enjoyed playing in ensembles such as the Grampian Youth Orchestra and ensembles at school (St Margaret’s). Despite restrictions on live performances, lockdown allowed Jenna to familiarise herself with digital software involving composing, arranging, recording, and producing music, often collaboratively. During 2020-2021, she has been working (through online lessons) towards her DipABRSM for violin. Jenna also plays piano, guitar, and sings. As well as performing, Jenna enjoys the freedom of creating music through song-writing, composing and music production. In September 2022 she is going to study music, specialising in composition and production at Edinburgh Napier University, after taking a gap year where she will take on violin and piano pupils. Her future plans include releasing more original music, and she hopes to become a music producer as part of a freelance career.

Dr Ben Marsden studied mathematics at Cambridge, piano at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama (with Claudio Arrau’s student Brigitte Wild), and history of science at the University of Kent at Canterbury. He is currently the Head of History at the University of Aberdeen. 

Since coming to Aberdeen in 1999 he has been heavily involved in the city’s musical culture, working as an accompanist, repetiteur, orchestral pianist, chamber musician and occasional soloist in association with groups including: the Aberdeen Chamber Orchestra, the Aberdeen Friends of Scottish Opera, the Aberdeen International Youth Festival, the Bach Choir, the Banchory Singers, Con Anima, Concordia, the Deeside Festival, the Deeside Orchestra, the Grampian Concert Orchestra, the Grampian Youth Orchestra, Opera Uploaded, Spectrum New Music Ensemble, the University of Aberdeen Symphony Orchestra, the University of Aberdeen Choral Society and the University of Aberdeen Opera Society. 

As an accompanist he has performed at the Cowdray Hall, regularly in the ‘Cathedral at Noon’ series at St Andrew’s Cathedral (Aberdeen), at St Machar’s Cathedral, at the Phoenix Centre (Newton Dee), in the University of Aberdeen’s Ogston Prize, and in masterclasses at NESMS (North East of Scotland Music School), including with Donald Maxwell.