Background
A native of Marion, Indiana, Bantz moved with his family to Florida in 1969 when his father, the Review Wayne Bantz started First Methodist Church of Coral Springs, Florida.
A native of Marion, Indiana, Bantz moved with his family to Florida in 1969 when his father, the Review Wayne Bantz started First Methodist Church of Coral Springs, Florida.
He attended Pompano Beach High School and graduated from Deerfield Beach High School, where he was concertmaster of the school orchestra. Bantz received his formal music education at Florida Atlantic University and the University of Miami, where he studied organ performance.
Throughout his conducting career, he continued his studies with many great choral luminaries including Robert Shaw, George Bragg, Joseph Flummerfelt, Sir David Willcocks, John Rutter, Howard Swan, Gerre Hancock and James Litton. His first church job in Florida was at the First Baptist Church in Deerfield Beach, Florida. He served several churches, including First Methodist Church of Pompano Beach, Florida and Saint Stephens Episcopal in Coconut Grove, Florida.
In 1998, he became Director of Music at the Pink Church where he remained until June 2006.
Under his direction the Music Program at the Pink Church became widely respected throughout the country. In 2000, Bantz joined the Florida Philharmonic Chorus as assistant director
When the orchestra folded three years later, he and Doctor Jo-Michael Scheibe led the chorus in its new form as the Master Chorale of South Florida, whose performances have received high critical acclaim. Bantz was associated with the for 20 years.
They included the 1996 Kathaumixw International Choral Festival and Competition in British Columbia, the 1997 Prague International Choir Festival in the Czechoslovakian Republic, and the 1998 Princeton Invitational Choir Competition.
The Singing Sons performed the National Anthem at the very first Florida Marlins baseball game in 1993. Under Bantz" direction, the boychoir was featured in performances with James Judd, Maureen Forester, Chanticleer, Audrey Hepburn, Liza Minnelli, Judy Collins, the Bee Gees (with whom they recorded a Civil Defense) and many others They also were featured performers at national and regional conventions of the American Choral Directors Association.
Equally in demand as a solo performer or accompanist, Bantz performed in South Florida with the University of Miami Symphony, the Palm Beach Opera, the Miami Beach Symphony, the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, the Fort
Lauderdale Symphony Chorus, the Gold Coast Opera, the Fort Lauderdale Christian Chorale and the Nova Singers.
He also served as conductor or accompanist for numerous international artists such as Marvis Martin, Dean Peterson, Janice Chandler, Steven Rickards, Curtis Rayam and many others