About Ben
Ben Cromie is a drummer, percussionist, composer and teacher based in Perth, Western Australia. He is currently studying a Bachelor of Music at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). Ben is passionate about playing music of all genres across a diverse range of percussion instruments.
As a versatile percussionist, Ben regularly performs with the Western Australian Youth Orchestra, Metro Big Band, Defying Gravity Percussion Ensemble, Roaring 20’s Jazz Orchestra, WAAPA’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and WAAPA Symphony Orchestra. You can also catch Ben performing in musical theatre and small groups in the Perth music scene.
Ben was a finalist in the 2021 Marimbafest competition and was awarded the People’s Choice Award for his solo performance. In 2022, Ben showcased his skills at the Perth Concert Hall for the Performing Arts Perspectives, and presented a Q&A workshop for WAAPA’s ACE Your WACE Program. In 2023, Ben won the Black Swamp Percussion Excellence Award and was awarded second place in the ensemble category at Marimbafest.
Alongside his love for performing, he also designs and builds his own percussion instruments. He was featured as a guest artist for the 2023 Marimbafest where he led a masterclass on the process of building a 5-octave marimba. Ben truly loves sharing knowledge with others and brings excitement, energy, and happiness to any performance.