Pianist Broc Hempel was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska. He began studying piano at the age of 8 and was drawn early on to jazz and improvisation. At the age of 15, he became the youngest winner of the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra’s “Young Jazz Artist Competition” and while in high school, performed at both Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in New York City with his high school’s jazz band and jazz choir, respectively. In 1999, Broc moved to New Jersey, where he attended William Paterson University’s prestigious jazz studies program on a full-tuition Presidential scholarship. There, he studied with such jazz greats as Harold Mabern, James Williams, Don Braden and Armen Donelian. Broc’s collegiate career included one year of study in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he played jazz and Brazilian music in some of the city’s main music venues. In 2004, Broc moved to New York City, where he still resides. He performs professionally as a jazz musician and also in a wide variety of other musical styles, from pop/rock to musical theater to cabaret, and frequently works as a musical director, arranger and instructor.

 In the New York City area, Broc has performed in such music venues as Smalls Jazz Club, Fat Cat, The Blue Note, Cleopatra’s Needle, Miles Café, Cornelia Street Café, The Metropolitan Room and Don’t Tell Mamma. He has also performed throughout much of the United States and, internationally, in Brazil, Italy, Germany, Austria and the Caribbean.

Mr. Broc Hempel has joined the faculty of The Piano School of NYC in 2011.