This accomplished and renowned pianist received much of his early training in New York City with Carl Friedberg, who himself was a pupil of the legendary composer/pianist Clara Wieck Schumann. He continued his studies in Europe at the Vienna Hochschule. Upon his graduation from that institution, he won first prize for a piano performance. The Austrian government then sponsored an extended European tour for the young artist, thereby launching his career. After that, he performed throughout the world on five continents and performed and recorded with such notable ensembles as the Slovak State Radio Orchestra, the Budapest Symphony, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and Beijing's China Opera Central Orchestra. Banowetz's repertoire was built especially around the Romantic with composers such as Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt; late Romantic with composers such as Anton Rubenstein, Balakirev, and Busoni; and neo-Romantic eras (Ronald Stevenson, Godowsky). His recordings appeared on the Naxos, Marco Polo, and Altarus labels.
Banowetz was also known for his pedagogy and editing work, and his book, The Pianist's Guide to Pedaling, was recognized as fundamental to the study of the piano. He was a professor at the University of North Texas, and also regularly taught master classes at such schools as Juilliard, the St. Petersburg Conservatory, and at conservatories in London and China. He was frequently called on as a juror for international competitions. Joseph Banowetz died on July 3, 2022 at the age of 88.
