Pianist Benjamin Steinhardt enjoys an international reputation for his innovative teaching and can be regularly heard performing in the New York metro area. Steinhardt is the program director of The Well-Balanced Pianist (www.wellbalancedpianist.com), which offers short in-person and online programs, teacher training, and a week-long summer program integrating musicianship, the Taubman Approach, bodywork, mindset, and pedagogy.
He regularly adjudicates young musician festivals and competitions and has presented and given masterclasses across the United States, Canada, and Australia. Highlights include four presentations at the Music Teachers National Association Conventions, the National Conference for Keyboard Pedagogy, the Taubman Piano Festival at Montclair University, the Piano Celebration Festival at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and the Gordon Institute of Music Learning New England Conference.
His presentation topics include:
- “Junior Virtuosos: Laying the foundations for a healthy technique in children and teens”
- “Repertoire Rich: Incorporating the 40 Piece Challenge into your private piano studio”
- “Flow and Music: Developing inner hearing through movement.”
- “Help! My Fourth Finger Feels Weak: Understanding finger independence”
- “SMART: Teaching strategies for the overscheduled, under-practiced, and eager to learn”
- “Playing Deliciously: The legacy and teachings of Dorothy Taubman”
- “Charting a Musical Journey: The Work of Dr. Edwin Gordon”
- “Is it Really Possible to Rotate for Every Note at the Piano?: A whole body look at the amazing power of rotation”
- Small Hands, Big Repertoire: Alicia DeLarrocha’s approach to navigating stretchy passages for small-handed pianists
- From Injury to Insight: A holistic guide to prevention and healing
His writings, webinars, and videos have been featured in:
- Clavier Companion: The Piano Magazine
- American Music Teacher
- TheCuriousPianoTeachers.org
- The Piano League
- iPianoTeacher.com
- Piano Inspires
- MTNA Webinar
- “Piano Parent” Podcast with Shelly Davis
- “All Keyed Up” Podcast with Ben Kapilow
- “Beyond Measure” Podcast with Christina Whitlock
- “On the Origin of Pieces” Podcast with Steve Petty
Recognized for his versatility as a performer, musical director, educator, and advocate for musician wellness, Benjamin Steinhardt has built a multifaceted career across the concert stage, musical theater, and piano pedagogy. As a pianist, he has appeared in recital and chamber performances at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, and Greenwich Music House. His work as a musical director has been featured at Queens Theatre, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the New York Musical Theatre Festival, Bravo Television, and prominent New York cabaret venues including Birdland, Studio 54, and The Metropolitan Room. He also served as musical director for the Emmy Award-winning production News in Revue.
Mr. Steinhardt completed his studies as a classical pianist at the Manhattan School of Music, The Boston Conservatory at Berklee, and Mannes School of Music. Influential teachers have included Janice Weber, Sara Crawford, and Donn-Alexander Feder. He has been mentored by Dr. Teresa Dybvig, founder of The Well-Balanced Pianist, since 2007.
Steinhardt serves as Treasurer of the Connecticut State Music Teachers’ Association, co-President of the Fairfield Chapter, and co-administers “The Art of Piano Pedagogy,” Facebook’s largest community for professional piano teachers with over 25,000 members.