Patrick Faller
A&E Reporter
Humber saxophone star and third-year music student Eli Bennett perfrosm with his quartet Monday in the main auditorium at Lakeshore Campus.
“We’ve been rehearsing hard for the concert to try to find our voice and unique sound,” said Bennett, whose band includes Humber grads Darcy Myronuk on piano, Devon Henderson on bass and Fabio Ragnelli on drums.
Bennett, 21, of Vancouver, is no stranger to success.
(Patrick Faller) Saxophonist Eli Bennett performs at Lakeshore’s auditorium on March 22.
In 2007, he became the first horn player to be invited to play with the Grammy Jazz Combo, a three-piece band for high school students supported by the Grammy Foundation.
“It was incredible to walk the red carpet and play at Grammy events,” said Bennett.
He has also won many music awards including Humber’s Oscar Peterson Prize.
“Eli is an exceptional musician and he just sounds fantastic,” said fellow saxophonist and Humber music teacher Kirk MacDonald, who won a Juno award in 1999 and is nominated again this year.
“It’s great to see him perform and I’ve enjoyed working with him,” said MacDonald, who tutors Bennett.
“He is talented, works so hard and has a great attitude.”
Music program co-ordinator Denny Christianson has been aware of Bennett’s skills since he saw the youngster at Musicfest Canada in 2005, in Richmond, B.C.
“I kept hearing about Eli,” said Christianson. “When I saw him I made it clear that we wanted him to come to Humber.”
He added: “I consider him one of the most amazing students to come out of a Canadian high school in the past 20 years.”
Bennett said he has loved the saxophone ever since he first heard it.
“It has been an amazing instrument and I’ve been fortunate to learn from some high-calibre musicians,” he said.
Bennett has one year remaining in the four-year program, but said he is already thinking about the future of his career.
“I would like to keep going down this road with jazz. I strive for excellence and don’t settle for any less of myself. It’s worth it,” he said.
The free concert by the Eli Bennett Quartet begins at 8:30 p.m. in the main auditorium.