Mr. Eaton is a faculty member in the College for the following department(s) and division(s): Jazz — Composition (College) Telephone  (212) 749-2802  x7671 Homepage  www.royeaton.net E-mail  royfeaton@aol.com

Pianist, composer, teacher, producer, meditator, Shiatsu therapist – multiplicity has been a consistent theme in Roy Eaton’s life. Eaton simultaneously attended Manhattan School of Music and City College of New York (CCNY), where he majored in history. In his sophomore year, CCNY awarded him a Naumburg Fellowship that enabled him to study at the foreign university of his choice. He chose the University of Zurich in Switzerland. While there, the multiple threads continued. While still majoring in history, he studied with the Mozart specialist Edwin Fisher. It was then that his special affinity for Chopin was first noted. “He fills Chopin with vibrating life,” was the comment of a Swiss critic. Roy Eaton was the winner of the first Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Award in June 1950 and made his American debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, performing Chopin’s F Minor Concerto under George Schick in 1951. He was reengaged to perform Beethoven’s Fourth Concerto the following season and also made his New York Town Hall debut in 1952. His career was “temporarily” interrupted by two years’ service in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict, then approximately thirty years in advertising. He worked at Young & Rubicam, was vice president and music director of Benton & Bowles, and ran his own production company. He returned to the concert stage in 1986, receiving critical acclaim for a unique Alice Tully recital called “The Meditative Chopin,” which explored the spiritual dimension of Chopin’s music. His performances of the music of Scott Joplin have been particularly noteworthy. His mission has been to restore Joplin’s works to their original classical domain that was Joplin’s original intention. Joplin wished his music to be considered classical composition in the tradition of the great European masters that constituted an important inspiration for him. Manhattan School of Music faculty since 1980.

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