Educator
Dr. Scott Routenberg: Associate Professor of Jazz Piano
Ball State University School of Music
Jazz Piano Studio
Pianists in Dr. Routenberg's studio have had the honor of performing at some of the world's most prestigious jazz concert venues. His students have won awards and scholarships including the DownBeat Student Music Awards, the Tom Shah Memorial Jazz Scholarship, and the Ball State University Presidential Scholarship. Dr. Routenberg's private high school students have been accepted at jazz summer camps like Interlochen and have won the piano chair at the Indiana All-State Jazz Band. Graduates of the jazz piano studio have cultivated careers as performers and educators, from university jazz piano faculty to featured performers at jazz festivals like Elkhart Jazz Fest and Carmel Jazz Fest.
Clinics and master classes have included guest artists Wynton Marsalis, Emmet Cohen, Benny Green, Tamir Hendelman, Howard Levy, Dan Tepfer, and Matthew Fries. During weekly applied lessons, students perform on Dr. Routenberg's fully restored 1918 Steinway B piano.
Routenberg teaches applied Jazz Piano and Improvisation lessons to both undergraduate and graduate students, Jazz Improvisation, Jazz History, Jazz Composition, Jazz Piano Lab, and directs a jazz combo. Since 2023 Routenberg has taught film, television, and video game scoring in the Music Media Production program's Commercial Music Design sequence, where students have the opportunity to score and record a film cue with the Ball State Symphony Orchestra and write adaptive music for modern games.
Prospective jazz pianists are encouraged to contact Dr. Routenberg via university email or office phone.
(765) 285-5458.
Jazz Studies Major
Ball State University School of Music now offers a BM in Jazz Studies. As your senior project, you will complete a professional recording of your playing, writing, and arranging.
See the Recommended Four Year Plan for the Jazz Studies Major here.
Minor in Jazz/Commercial Music
The newly revised Minor in Jazz/Commercial Music requires 25 credit hours in applied study (private lessons), music history, music and jazz theory, improvisation, and jazz electives in a number of interest areas.
Ball State University School of Music is an All-Steinway School.
Audition materials and dates can be found here.
More information on undergraduate scholarships and graduate assistantships can be found here.
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Master Classes, Clinics, and Jazz Piano/Composition Judging
"It's wonderful for my jazz composition students to hear from someone who’s really making it happen!
I know they all got a lot out of it! Your trio performance was terrific and the clinic following was extremely well-crafted for our students."
-Chuck Owen, Grammy-nominated jazz composer, Guggenheim Fellow and
Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Jazz Studies at the University of South Florida
"I've received glowing reviews from our patrons, students and administrators pertaining to your musicianship, teaching and availability. It was an honor to host you."
-Dr. Matt White, Guggenheim Fellow, trumpeter, composer and Associate Professor at the University of South Carolina
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Jazz Piano Competition Judging
​Jury Member, American Pianists Association Jazz Competition Premiere Series (2022-2023); helping choose Cole Porter Fellowship winner I The Jazz Kitchen, Indianapolis, IN
Jury Member, American Pianists Association Jazz Competition Premiere Series (2018-2019); helped choose $100,000 Cole Porter Fellowship winner I The Jazz Kitchen, Indianapolis, IN
Judge, Indiana All-State Jazz Bands (yearly)
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Composition and Arranging Judging
Judge, International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers 2019 Symposium Student/Young Artist Masterclass Workshops, Student SONIC Award winner, and Owen Prize (for best big band composition) I Greeley, Colorado
Judge, USA Songwriting Competition (Jazz Category)
Master Classes and Presentations
Berklee College of Music, University of Northern Colorado, University of Miami Frost School of Music, University of South Florida, Coastal Carolina University, Belmont University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Eastern Washington University, Ball State University, International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers (Poster Session/New Music Presentation), College Music Society 2015 National Conference (new music performance)
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Jazz Clinics and Workshops
Ball State University Dimensions in Jazz Festival and Jazz Rhythm Section Day, Bloomington High School North, North Side High School, Noblesville High School, Herron High School, North Central High School, Leo High School, Carroll High, Dekalb High
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