SUMMARY
Christopher Banka
Christopher Banka is an award-winning pianist and dedicated piano teacher with extensive experience working successfully with hundreds of students of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to advanced performers. A graduate of Mannes School of Music (MM, 2021) and Florida State University (BM, 2018), he has performed in over 100 recitals, concerts, and master classes at venues including Carnegie Hall. Christopher was a New Jersey MTNA Young Artist Piano Competition representative and was honored as Steinway’s Teacher of the Year in 2024.
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
Recipient of Steinway's Top Teacher of the Year Award in 2024
Online and in-person piano instructor,
With eleven years of experience working in New Jersey and New York — 2015-Present
He offers engaging lessons for beginner, intermediate, and advanced piano students (ages 5 to 70) across multiple platforms
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