Described as “a natural performer who infuses his interpretations with energy, excitement, and a broad expressive range”, Canadian guitarist Ben Diamond is a well rounded musician whose passion knows no limits. He is active as an educator, improviser, performer, and collaborator pursuing a wide variety of projects that contribute to the evolution of the 21st century guitar. A recent graduate from the M. Mus in performance program at Schulich School of Music (McGill University), Ben’s primary focus is the collaboration with composers to create new works for the guitar. It is his success in premiering contemporary music and love for community building that has earned him many accolades such as the “CBC 30 under 30 hot classical musicians” in 2021, the 2021 ArtsNL Emerging Artist of the year award, and a nomination for the 2025 East Coast Music Award for Electronic Release of the Year. Ben has also placed in competitions such as the 2019 FCMF National Music Festival (SK), 2022 Twisted Spruce International Competition (Virtual), 2023 Domaine Forget International Guitar Competition (QC), Festival-concours de musique Sherbrooke (2024), and the Classival – concours de musique classique (QC, 2025).
Elena Vigna (she/her) is a Mexican violinist and educator based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, where she has lived since 2017. After earning her Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree in Aguascalientes, Mexico, she continued her studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland, completing two master’s degrees in Music—Performance and Performance/Pedagogy—under the mentorship of Dr. Nancy Dahn.
Since 2021, Elena has been a member of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, performing in the second violin section. Her passion for both performing and teaching has taken her to stages across Mexico, Canada, the Philippines, and South Korea. A devoted chamber musician, she has participated in numerous festivals, including the Tuckamore Festival (2018) and various chamber music programs throughout Mexico.
Elena maintains a thriving private studio and serves on the faculty of both the Suzuki Talent Education Program and the Strong Harbour Strings Program in St. John’s. She also performs regularly with local ensembles such as the Kittiwake Orchestra, Edge String Quartet, Duo North East, NL Latin Band, Project Highlife, and most recently, Duo Perpetuo—a guitar‑violin collaboration with guitarist Ben Diamond.
