Gemmell & Smith
Address
The Loft75 Huron Street,
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, P6A 5P9, Canada
September 18, 2026 - September 18, 2026
Incredible musicians who perform with virtuosic technique and emotional depth, Gemmell & Smith infuse deep intensity and passion into masterworks of chamber music, entwining both music and audience in an unforgettable experience!
Corey Lyle Gemmell – Violin
Violinist Corey Lyle Gemmell, a native of Hamilton now based in Markham, Ontario, is celebrated for his expressive artistry and versatility as a soloist, concertmaster, and chamber musician.
He currently serves as concertmaster for Esprit Orchestra, Sinfonia Ancaster, Burlington Symphony Orchestra, Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestra Toronto, and has held leadership roles with numerous other Canadian ensembles.
As a soloist, he has performed much of the standard repertoire for violin and orchestra including, in recent seasons, solos and concertos by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Brahms, Ravel, Sarasate, Sibelius, Prokofiev, Saint-Saëns, and Vivaldi.
An active chamber musician, Mr. Gemmell performs with organist Aaron James as Duo Regale (violin and organ) presenting repertoire for this unique combination of violin and organ with a focus on 20th and 21st-century composers. He is also half of the Gemmell & Smith Duo (violin and piano) with pianist Benjamin Smith. In 2025, Gemmell & Smith performed the complete Beethoven Violin-Piano Sonatas for the Kitchener Waterloo Chamber Music Society.
A devoted educator and adjudicator, Mr. Gemmell serves on the faculty of the National Music Camp of Canada and the Royal College of Examiners, and has adjudicated the Canadian Music Competition and the JUNO Awards. His recordings span classical, contemporary, and Canadian repertoire, including acclaimed releases with Ensemble Vivant and the Mozart Effect series.
Mr. Gemmell plays a violin made in Milan in 1907 by Cipriano Briani and a violin made for him in 2005 by renowned Toronto luthier, Hratch Armenious, along with bows by Lamy, Martin and Voirin.
Benjamin Smith – Piano
Described as having “scintillating technique”, pianist Benjamin Smith has performed both as soloist and chamber musician across Canada and the United States. He has been a laureate of numerous competitions, including the Dublin International Piano Competition, the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition, and the CMC Stepping Stone Competition. Guest appearances include the Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra, the New Juilliard Ensemble, the Las Vegas Young Artists Orchestra, the Ontario Philharmonic, Orchestra London, the Burlington Symphony, the Windsor Symphony, and the University of Toronto’s Hart House Orchestra. As soloist, he has performed under esteemed conductors Rossen Milanov, Marco Parisotto, and Yunior Lopez, with concertos including rarities such as the Schoenberg Piano Concerto. Summer festival performances include repeat appearances at Toronto, Stratford, Niagara, Port Milford, and New Park (Ithaca, NY). American performances include recitals for the Texas Chopin Society and Chicago’s Landowska Harpsichord Society. Recent seasons have seen two concerts in Carnegie Hall: once as soloist in Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue with the Hart House Orchestra, and previously in recital with Canadian cellist Dongkyun An. A disc with Mr. An of Saint-Saens, Schumann, and Beethoven was released in December 2016. Other commercial recordings available include a disc of Canadian chamber music (Aboriginal Inspirations, 2017) and extensive recordings for the 2022 Royal Conservatory Celebration piano series. 2025 saw the release of two albums on the Orchid Classics label, one with cellist Daniel Hamin Go, and the other with oboist Ari Cohen Mann.
Devoting considerable time to chamber music, Ben has been heard nationally across Canada on CBC Music, as well as radio broadcasts in the UK. He is pianist for the Andromeda Trio and the Gemmell & Smith Duo. He has partnered in recital with a myriad of renowned artists including Martin Beaver, Timothy Chooi, Colin Carr, Narek Hakhnazaryan, Jacques Israelievitch, Jinjoo Cho, Stanislav Pronin, Gábor Tarkövi, Øystein Baadsvik, and William VerMeulen, as well as with ensembles such as the Penderecki, Cecilia, Annex, and Tokai string quartets. For two seasons he performed as one-third of the Israelievitch-Smith-Ahn piano trio. Involved with music of our time as well, he has worked with composers John Corigliano, Reinaldo Moya, and Chandler Carter.
Increasingly in demand as a teacher, Ben has been active as an adjudicator and juror for festivals and competitions for many years, and has adjudicated many of the largest music festivals in Canada. His students have had success in this realm as well, including the CFMTA National festival. He has also served on panels for competitions internationally, most recently for the OPUS competition in the US.
Dr. Smith currently resides in Toronto, maintaining a concert schedule and serving on the faculties of both the Glenn Gould School (GGS) and the Taylor Young Artist Academy at the Royal Conservatory. Previously, he held a position on the piano faculty at Western University. His principal teachers included Andrea Battista, James Anagnoson, Julian Martin, and Christina Dahl. Along with a DMA from Stony Brook University, he holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto, an Artist Diploma from the GGS, and a Master’s from Juilliard.
Tickets for this event are available here.
