Henry Banta is an American pianist and educator, based in New Jersey. He earned his Master of Music degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma, where he studied piano with Jeongwon Ham, and piano pedagogy with Sara Ernst and John Patrick Murphy. Prior to his time in Oklahoma, he earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance at Stetson University, studying under Sean Kennard.
As a performer, Banta has appeared in solo recitals and collaborative performances—including as pianist for OU’s University Chorale—as well as in masterclasses with distinguished artists including Enrico Elisi, Marina Lomazov, and Artina McCain. In 2025, he earned a Robberson Research Grant from OU to participate in the Lindlar International Piano Festival in Germany. He placed in OMTA Young Artist Competitions in 2024 and 2025. Additionally, he gave a solo performance at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall as part of the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Celebration of Excellence Recital in 2016.
Banta’s scholarly interests include piano pedagogy, historical recordings, and performance practice. Recent research projects have examined early 20th -century piano recordings and historical keyboard treatises, with particular attention to their implications for modern performers and teachers. Other projects have explored teaching improvisation to students of different levels, and embellishment in Baroque and Classical literature.
Banta has taught a variety of ages and levels. As a Graduate Teaching Assistant at OU, he taught Group Piano for music majors and non-music majors as well as individual lessons and masterclasses. He has accepted the Postgraduate Teaching Fellowship for the 2026–27 academic year at the New School for Music Study, where he himself studied from 2011 to 2020, and continues to pursue a career in performance, teaching, and scholarship, as a believer in the transformative power of music.