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Benjamin Laboy Ruiz
Music Instructor
Benjamin José Laboy Ruiz
Cuatrista / Composer born in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico. The son of José L. Laboy Rodríguez and María L. Ruiz Lebrón. He comes from a family with deep musical roots, particularly typical folk music. His interest in music begins at an early age. He received his first cuatro lessons from his uncle Gerardo Ruiz Lebrón, then cuatro and music theory with Mr. Carlos G. Román.
In August 2001 he began his studies at the Escuela Libre de Música de Humacao, as a Puerto Rican cuatro student with Prof. Daniel Andino Del Valle. He has taken piano lessons with Prof. Luis Tirado, guitar lessons with Prof. Sandra Reyes, and cello with Prof. Víctor Defilló.
He has a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education with a concentration in Cello, from the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, where he studied with Prof. Luis Miguel Rojas, and a master's degree in Soundtrack Composition and Music for Audiovisual Media, from the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMUC). Also in Barcelona, he was a cuatrista of the Sagrada Familia Basilica. He has participated in master classes with: Prof. Orlando Laureano (Puerto Rican cuatro), Prof. Ovidiu Marinescu (cello), Antonio Meneses (cello), Maximiano Valdés (Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra Director).
Laboy Ruiz has belonged to various musical groups: Grupo Manantial, Pasión Campesina, Renacer Boricua, Taller Decimal, Los Bohemios del Este, Cobana Negra, Troubadour Competitions, Rondalla, Group of Cuatros, Symphonic Orchestra Esc. Libre de Música de Humacao, Conjunto Strings, Choir, Jazz Workshop, Popular Music Ensemble, Mariachis among others. In addition, he was a musician for singer and actress Nydia Caro. He has represented Puerto Rico being an ambassador of our folk music in Barcelona, the Canary Islands (Spain), France, Madrid, Chile, the United States among other places throughout the world. He has belonged to the Symphonic Orchestra of the Conservatory of Music, and the Latin American Music Ensemble. He has participated with the Puerto Rico Philharmonic Orchestra, Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, Puerto Rico Youth Symphony Orchestra; as well as in events such as the El Nuevo Día Newspaper 40th Anniversary Concert, with the singer Víctor Manuel; the Danny Rivera Symphonic Concert; the Andrea Bocelli Concert in Puerto Rico, with Victoria Sanabria; the Puerto Rican Parade in New York and Orlando, Florida, the Encounter of Repentistas in Gran Canaria (Spain) and the Encounter of Payadores in Casablanca and San José de Maipo, Chile.
He obtained the First Prize in Competitions of Cuatro de Comerío and Morovis in 2005, second place in Quebradilla in 2006 and also in that year he obtained the First Place of the National Audition for young Cuatristas, convened by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, which led to the premiere of the Concerto for Four and Orchestra by Saviel Cartagena. He also won the First Prize in the Puerto Rican Maso Rivera contest in Toa Alta in 2014.
As a composer he has also received several awards. He has written danza that have been awarded first place in the Puerto Rican Danza Composition Contest of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (ICP) on more than one occasion, these include Los Pasos de Mi Abuelo in 2010, Gotitas de Cristal in 2012 , La Noche de tu Partida in 2013, “Amor de Plata” in 2014, “Milagro de Amor” in 2016, “Eterna Sonrisa” in 2017, "Sorbo de Esperanza" (danza para piano) in 2022, "Convergencia" (danza para dos guitarras) Honorific Mention in 2023. In May 2015 the 44th Annual Institute of Puerto Rican Culture Puerto Rican Dance Week was dedicated to Benjamin.
His works have been used as a repertoire for studies and contests of the Puerto Rican cuatro. He was a music teacher at the Alfonso Casta Martínez Higher Specialized School in Arts and Sports in Maunabo. He was a Cello teacher at the Escuela Especializada Libre de Música de Humacao. He was also a teacher at the New World Music School of Orlando Florida where he resided for several years.
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