Benjamin Penzner is Principal Viola of the Grand Rapids Symphony. He studied Viola Performance with Yizhak Schotten and Caroline Coade at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He was named first prize winner in the solo and the excerpt competition with the American Viola Society, both in 2021. In 2022 he won 2nd place in the Lima Symphony Young Artist Competition. Benjamin won the UMICH Concerto competition in 2019, he then performed the complete Walton Viola Concerto in March 2022 at Hill Auditorium at the University of Michigan. As a member of an award winning Piano Trio, Benjamin competed in Austin, Texas in the Coltman Chamber Music Competition, South Bend, Indiana in the 49th Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where we won first prize in the Briggs Chamber Music Competition, and many more. Benjamin has performed with orchestras such as the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Colburn Conservatory Orchestra while on tour in Edinburgh and Dublin, Pasadena Symphony, and Lansing Symphony where he was Principal Viola.