Open House- Roy Eaton

If you read the NYTimes article about Roy Eaton on Saturday, January 21, "In Sugar Hill, a Community That Nurtured Black Talent When the World Wouldn’t" by David Gonzalez, you're probably just as fascinated to meet him and hear him perform as we are. On Wednesday, February 24th from 6-8 pm, FOI/ Ardea Arts is creating that opportunity. Roy has consented to be our guest at our Open House at the Family Opera Initiative Offices. He will share his passion for Chopin and Joplin with particular emphasis on Scott Joplin's New York experiences.

Roy Eaton first performed in Carnegie Hall on Thursday, June 17,1937 as a Gold Medalist in a competition sponsored by the Music Education League of New York. Winner of the first Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Award in June 1950, he made his American debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performing Chopin's F minor Concerto under George Schick in 1951. He was re-engaged to perform Beethoven's 4th concerto, and also made his New York Town Hall debut in 1952. His career was "temporarily" interrupted by two years in the U.S.Army, then approximately thirty years in advertising at Young & Rubicam, Benton & Bowles, and Roy Eaton Music. Roy Eaton’s life story is one of spiritual and creative triumph - overcoming significant difficulties and adversity. One of his missions has been to restore Scott Joplin's works to the domain that it was Joplin's intention that they live--as classical works in the tradition of the great European masters. He is on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music and performs in concert throughout the world. December 9,2002 marked his return to Carnegie Hall as soloist with the N. Y. Pops Orchestra led by Skitch Henderson. His current featured recordings are Joplin: Piano Rags, Sony; The Complete Preludes Of Chopin, Gershwin, Still, Summit Records, Keyboard Classics For Children, Summit Records, and The Meditative Chopin, Rhahm Records. Olivier Dahan, the Academy Award winning director of "La Vie en Rose" has selected three preludes from the 24/7+7 album as background music for his upcoming film "My Own Love Son" starring Renee Zelwegger and Forest Whitaker.

FOI/ Ardea Arts Inc.
463 Broome Street New York, NY 10013