Ben Batalla offers a distinguished musicianship with a versatile background in jazz, classical and sacred music traditions. He has been described as a “take-charge artist” (The Palm Beach Post) and has been acclaimed for his unique programmatic choices and advocacy for presenting diverse musical styles. He attended the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, where he studied piano with Stefanie Katz-Shear and jazz with Pedro Hernandez. He earned degrees from Tulane University and Texas State University, and he received graduate studies in sacred music at the Catholic University of America. His teachers include Faina Lushtak, Adam Benjamin from Grammy-nominated band Kneebody, Robert Durso, and Jason Kwak. He is currently studying with Sophia Gilmson, Professor Emeritus from the University of Texas-Austin.
Ben’s album releases include in his recent project titled As I Am, which was inspired by Keith Jarrett’s live Rio album and titled similarly to Debussy’s Preludes. It features several live and unedited piano improvisations. His improvisations were featured on PBS’ Celebration of Music. In 2020, he released Exodus in collaboration with the Vigil Project, which provides improvised musical narrations of scenes from the ancient biblical text. His compositions are also featured in the Hallow app and in The Hagios Study. He is the founder and host of Live Amplified, which uses live improvisation and reflection to help listeners reclaim wonder and awe in creation, the arts, and story.
During his early career, Ben was acknowledged in “The Best Student Musicians of 2013” as part of Downbeat Jazz Magazine’s 36th Annual Student Music Awards. Since then, Ben has pursued an active competition career, having won top prizes at the colOrchestra Concerto Competition (2023), the Sound Espressivo Competition (2021), the Tulane Concerto Competition (2017), MTNA (2016, 2018), the Gulf Coast Steinway Society (2015), and the Orfeo Music Festival Solo and Concerto Competition (2014). Ben has performed concerto repertoire with ensembles including the New York Chamber Players, the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, and the New Orleans Chamber Orchestra. He has given recitals at venues including Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, and the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts.
Ben is also active in sacred music as the Director of Music at Saint Albert the Great Catholic Church in Austin, TX. Notable mentors and collaborators in his liturgical and compositional experience include Timothy McDonnell, Peter Latona from the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Paul Jernberg from the Magnificat Institute, and Adam Bartlett from Source and Summit. Ben recently released his composition titled Mass of St. John Paul II, which received an endorsement from Bishop Joe Vasquez of the Diocese of Austin and is currently in demand from parishes throughout the United States. Ben will soon be featured in the Vigil Project’s documentary titled The Meaning of Music, which includes other prominent artists and figures including Manfred Honeck, Matt Maher, Steffany Gretzinger, and Bishop Robert Barron.
Ben is the husband of his lovely wife, Claire. Together, they enjoy fostering a space of creativity and wonder for their two young children, Romero and Jude. Ben aims to integrate all aspects of his musicianship to give listeners an opportunity to encounter a beauty that is transformative. He believes in the transformative power of beauty and desires to use art as a means of reminding his listeners of their inherent dignity and worth.