With the support of QEST, Ben received training from Lucy Coad, a specialist conservator and restorer of historic pianofortes. He spent four years with her, during which time his QEST funding enabled him to visit international collections and facilitate meetings and tuition with other specialists in the UK and abroad.
Ben was later apprenticed to Mimi Waitzman, formerly the curator conservator of the Benton Fletcher Collection of historic clavichords, harpsichords, virginals, spinets and pianofortes at the National Trust-owned Fenton House in Hampstead, London. Ben has been Keeper of Musical Instruments at Fenton House since 2012 and provides freelance historic keyboard instrument tuning, maintenance and conservation services to the National Trust as well as to other public institutions and private collections. In addition, Ben works for other specialists, where his work ranges from preventive conservation through to complete restoration to playing condition of rare and important keyboard instruments.
