Prior to moving to Milwaukee, Prelude Wind Ensemble Percussion Instructor Ben Haimann completed his Master’s degree in music performance at the University of South Carolina. He received degrees in music education and music performance from The Ohio State University in 2016 and 2017, respectively. A native of Lombard, Illinois, Ben began his musical studies at age nine playing drum set and taking private percussion lessons. During the summers of 2014 and 2015, he served as the teaching assistant and counselor for the instrumental music program at The North Carolina Governor’s School East where he coached the percussion ensemble and spent time conducting the wind ensemble. In 2016 and 2017, Ben was the front ensemble instructor with the Grove City High School Marching Band, which included a trip to the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. While studying at Ohio State, he was awarded the prestigious Presser Foundation Scholarship. Ben served as a graduate assistant for the University of South Carolina percussion studio and was the percussionist for the Spark Collective, a graduate quintet focusing on community engagement through music. Ben was fortunate enough to win the concerto competition at the University of South Carolina in 2018 and performed Kevin Puts’ Marimba Concerto No. 1 with the University of South Carolina Symphony Orchestra in 2019. In his free time, Ben enjoys practicing marimba, making coffee, and hanging out with his dog, Lila.