Biography

Venezuelan cellist Benjamin Serur received his Bachelor's degree in Cello Performance from the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston, where he studied under Dr. Eunghee Cho. He is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Music Performance under Valentin Raditiu at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.

Benjamin began his musical studies at the age of seven through the National System of Youth and Children's Orchestras and Choirs of Venezuela. Since then, he has performed extensively with local orchestras and chamber ensembles, participating in numerous concerts, recitals, and concerto competitions. In 2016, he entered the Simón Bolívar Music Conservatory in Caracas, where he studied under Maestros Francy Vásquez and Juan J. Romero. The following year, he joined the Chacao Youth Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Ulyses Ascanio. In April 2018, Benjamin immigrated to the United States, where Courtenay Vandiver Pereira served as his mentor during his high school years.

Benjamin has held principal positions with the Moores School Symphony Orchestra, Opera Orchestra, Cello Ensemble, the Houston Youth Symphony, and the Virtuosi of Houston. His festival appearances include the Maine Chamber Music Seminar (2024, 2026), the 2024 Emerald Coast Chamber Music Festival, the International Cello Institute (2020, 2021, 2022), the National Youth Orchestra (2021), the Texas Music Festival (2022, 2023, 2025), and the House of Cello (2021, 2022).

He has participated in master classes with distinguished cellists such as Paul Katz, Brannon Cho, Desmon Hoebig, Rhonda Rider, Gregory Sauer, Deborah Pae, Yoshida Masuda, Felix Wang, Brinton Smith, Blaise Dejardin, Christopher French, and Maki Kubota. Additionally, Benjamin enjoys performing in a wide variety of venues across the city of Houston, appearing on renowned stages such as Zilkha Hall, Saengerhalle, and the Brown Theater. 

Updated 2026.