SUMMARY
Christopher Banka
A graduate of Mannes School of Music (MM in piano performance 2021) and Florida State University (BM in piano performance 2018), Christopher Banka has won numerous awards for solo and chamber piano. Chris has performed in more than 100 recitals, concerts, and master classes, including at the International Keyboard Institute & Festival, Kinhaven Music School, Meadowmount School of Music, the Princeton Festival, and Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall. In 2020, Chris was selected to represent the state of New Jersey in the MTNA Young Artist Piano Competition. He is currently studying piano with Vladimir Valjarević and Adrienne Kim; previous teachers include Read Gainsford and Joel Hastings.
EDUCATION
Schools
Mannes School of Music, Master of Music in Piano Performance — Aug. 2021
magna cum laude
Florida State University, Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance — Dec. 2018
magna cum laude
Principal Teachers
Adrienne Kim, Manhattan School of Music — 2022-Present
Vladimir Valjarevic, Mannes School of Music — 2019-Present
Read Gainsford, Florida State University — 2016-2018
Joel Hastings (deceased), Florida State University — 2014-2016
Kathleen Supové, Mannes Prep, Mannes School of Music — 2012-2014
Teaching Experience
Online and in-person piano instructor, Maplewood, NJ and New York, NY — 2015-Present Prepare and teach lessons for beginner, intermediate, and advanced students (ages 5 to 70) across multiple platforms
Relevant coursework: Piano in the Classroom; Piano Pedagogy 1 & 2
HONORS & AWARDS
William C. Byrd Piano Competition 2024
Semi-Finalist
New Jersey MTNA Young Artist Piano Competition — 2020
State Representative
Florida MTNA Young Artist Piano Competition — 2018
Honorable Mention
Best Prokofiev Performance, Great Composers Competition — 2018
2nd Prize
Gray Perry Collegiate Piano Competition — 2016
2nd Prize
ENKOR International Chamber Music Competition — 2015/2016
2nd Prize
American Protégé Int’l Piano and Strings Competition — 2015
Honorable Mention
Annual Piano Competition (Bach-themed) at Florida State University — 2015
2nd Prize
Piano Accolades (Senior Division), Mannes Prep — 2013
1st Place
PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS
Global Musicians League Performance — Summer 2024
Liszt Hungarian Rhaspody No. 14
William C. Byrd Piano Competition — Spring 2024
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 23
Kinhaven Music School, Young Artist Seminar — Spring 2023
Ferrenc’s Piano Quintet in A Minor, op.30
Mannes School of Music — Fall 2019
French Art Song 1 Ensemble(s)
Florida State University, Senior Recital — Spring 2018
Beethoven’s Sonata in E minor, Op. 90;
Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 6, Op. 82;
Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in E major, WTC Book II, BWV 878;
Liszt’s Rhapsodie Espagnole, S. 254
Kinhaven Music School, Young Artist Seminar — Spring 2017
Beethoven’s Trio for Piano and Strings in E-flat major, Op. 70, No. 2
Florida State University, Junior Recital — Spring 2017
Schumann’s Davidsbundlertanze, Op. 6, Book 1
Rzewski’s Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues (1980)
Beethoven’s Sonata in C major, Op. 53, “Waldstein”
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Winners’ Recital — Fall 2015
Debussy’s Pour le piano, Prelude
Meadowmount School of Music Concert — Summer 2015
Beethoven’s Piano Trio in D major, Op. 70, “Ghost”
Princeton Festival Performance — Spring 2015
Bach’s English Suite No. 6 in D minor, Prelude
Florida State University, Piano Forum — 2014-2018
Duo Piano Ensemble(s)
Masterclass Performances
Nina Lelchuk, Ray Chen, William Porter, Boris Berman, Jonathan Bass
Accompanying — 2015-Present
Paid Accompanist
Accompanied classical vocalists and instrumentalists in a wide range of music literature from Mozart and Mendelssohn to Hindemith and Barber
Summer Festivals
International Keyboard Institute & Festival — 2017. 2018
Kinhaven Music School, Young Artist Seminar — 2016. 2017
Meadowmount School of Music (studied with Eric Larsen) — 2015
Kinhaven Music School, Senior Session (coached by Adrienne Kim) — 2011-2014