2011 Academy
Faculty - Benjamin Schatz
Benjamin Schatz
Benjamin Schatz started playing the violin at the age of four and the piano at the age of six.
After studying classical piano in Trossingen (Prof. Tomislav Nedelkovic-Baynov), Los Angeles (Prof. C. Ritchie) and Leipzig (Prof. J. Christof), he bacame a student of the world famous jazz pianist Richie Beirach at Musikhochschule Leipzig where he graduated in 2008. Since October 2008, he lives and works in Vienna, Austria.
Benjamin’s competition accomplishments include:
- 1st Prize in the “International Music Competitions of the Val Tidone”; Pianello, Italy (2000)
- Winner of the “Concerto Competition, California State University”; Long Beach, USA (2004)
- Winner of a complete CD recording in 2009 at the “International Jazzmeeting Generations 2008”; Frauenfeld, Switzerland
- His production forSuisse Radio DRS 2 (2008) CD was chosen (out of 50 recordings) for the “JazzThing- Next Generation” series by JazzThing Magazine/Double Moon Records (2010)
He has studied in master classes with Cedar Walton, Mulgrew Miller, Kenny Werner, Marc Copland, Jim McNeely, Fred Hersch, Adrian MEars, Jimmy Cobb, Buster Williams, Billy Hart, Lewis Nash, Peter Bernstein and Dave Liebman.