Jacob Ertl is an internationally active pianist whose career is defined by a wide-ranging performance profile, a commitment to new music and underrepresented composers, and sustained artistic leadership. He has performed extensively throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North and South America as a recitalist, concerto soloist, and chamber musician. Performance highlights include solo appearances at major venues such as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Merkin Hall, Symphony Space, Zipper Hall, the Great Hall (Serbia), Kosma Auditorium (France), Washington Pavilion’s Belbas Theater, Mishler Theatre, and Teatro Degollado (Mexico). He has also been featured on nationally broadcast programs including Live from WFMT, Performance Today, and Classical Discoveries. His concerto appearances include performances with the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra, New York State Ballet Orchestra, Altoona Symphony, and Keystone Winds, among others.

 

A sought-after performer and artist-teacher, Ertl is frequently invited as a featured guest artist at conferences, including the New York State Music Teachers Association State Conference, Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association State Conference, the Dakota Sky International Piano Festival, and the World Piano Conference. He regularly presents recital and masterclass tours throughout China and has appeared as a guest artist at institutions such as the Colburn School, Penn State University, Isidor Bajić Music School, University of Western Ontario, Shandong and Anqing Normal Universities, Soochow University School of Music, and Shandong University of the Arts. For eight years, Ertl served as an Artist-in-Residence Fellow with PianoArts, performing hundreds of interactive outreach concerts for underserved communities.

 

A dedicated chamber musician, Ertl is a core member of the Alla Balena Ensemble and a founding member of the Eastern Standard Trio. Through these collaborations, he has commissioned and premiered more than twenty new works, released three commercial recordings, and organized ten seasons of concert tours. He is also a frequent guest artist with Chamber Music Rochester, Society for New Music, the Lake George Music Festival, Fox River ChamberFest, and regularly performs with principal musicians from major orchestras including the Baltimore, National, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Rochester, Syracuse, Dallas, and San Francisco Symphonies.

 

Ertl’s discography reflects a strong commitment to contemporary repertoire and world premieres. His recordings include A Grand Day Out (2025) and Serendipity (2025), both featuring world-premiere recordings; Wanderlust (2017), a finalist for the American Prize; Eastern Standard (2015); and the world-premiere recording of Fisher Tull’s Piano Concerto on Klavier Records/Naxos. His performance and scholarly work also include guest lectures and presentations for organizations such as CMS National, PianoArts, PMTA, NYSMTA, RPTG, and numerous universities and conservatories. He was also recently published in the music journal, American Music Teacher.

 

Alongside his performance career, Ertl is an in-demand clinician and adjudicator, having presented more than 65 masterclasses at over 35 institutions worldwide and served as an adjudicator for more than 75 regional, national, and international competitions. His students have earned significant success in competitions, concerto appearances, major festival acceptances, and professional and graduate placements. He also maintains a select pre-college studio, where students have received more than 50 competition and festival prizes, performed concertos with the Penfield Symphony, Genesee Symphony, and Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and appeared in major venues including Kodak Hall at the Eastman Theatre.

 

Ertl currently serves as Professor of Piano and Coordinator of Keyboard Studies at the Nazareth University School of Music in Rochester, New York. He is the Immediate Past-President of the New York State Music Teachers Association, Chair of the PianoArts Alumni Board, Director of the Nazareth University Piano Competition, and former Visiting Guest Professor of Piano at Shandong Normal University in China. He earned degrees in piano performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music (BM) and the Eastman School of Music (MM, DMA), studying with Robert Shannon and Nelita True. His artistic training also included regular study with other renowned artist-teachers Arie Vardi, Vladimir Krainev, Pascal Rogé, Julian Martin, Robert McDonald, Boris Slutsky, and Emanuel Krasovsky. For more information, visit www.jacobertl.com.