Robert Benz (pianist)

Robert Benz (born January 26, 1954 in Apatin ) is a German pianist and music teacher.

Benz grew up in Rödermark, Hesse, and received his first piano lessons from his father. At the age of 15 he became a semi-finalist at the Geneva International Competition and won the bronze medal there at the age of 17. At the Musikhochschule Karlsruhe he studied piano with Naoyuki Taneda , as well as conducting and composition. He studied at the Juilliard School in New York for four years with Rosina Lhevinne and Martin Canin . In 1974 he won first prize at the Busoni Competition in Bolzano , and in 1976 first prize at the International Liszt Bartók Piano Competition in Budapest . Since 1990 he has been professor for piano at the University of Music and Performing Arts Mannheim . Since 1996 he has been a pianist in the Trio Bamberg (with Jewgeni Schuk , violin and Alexander Hülshoff , cello). In 2005 he took over the artistic direction of the International Competition for Young Pianists in Ettlingen. He played numerous CDs, including a complete recording of Beethoven's piano sonatas .

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• Trio Bamberg - Robert Benz
• Mannheim University of Music - Prof. Robert Benz