The Arts at Girard
At Girard College, performing and visual arts are part of the curriculum every day. Students in grades 1-12 study general music theory and fine art, participate in choir and band, put on concerts and plays, and explore electives like songwriting and media design. Art is a way for our students to express themselves, process difficult experiences, and ignite social change.
Paul M. Eaton
Choir and Band Director,
Girard College
Paul M. Eaton is a passionate and expressive Emmy and Grammy-nominated musical educator, communicator, and motivator that has shared his talents in a vast array of arenas. He has recorded and performed as a guitarist/vocalist with Elton John, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Gerald Levert, Kelis, Dawn Robinson, The Chainsmokers, Peter Himmelman, T.M. Stevens, 3x Dope, Schooly D, Kindred and the Family Soul, Chubby Checker, Steph Pockets, Speech, and Jamaaladeen Tacuma, and has shared the stage with countless artists as well as creating and performing his own music. Mr. Eaton has performed and had audience with Queen Elizabeth II, Pres. Anwar Sadat of Egypt, Presidents Nixon, Carter, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama of the United States, and Fidel Castro of Cuba.
As an educator and mentor, Mr. Eaton continually motivates children to strive for excellence in life through music in his service as Fine Arts Chairman, Choir and Band Director at Girard College, private lessons, and Creative Arts Specialist at the Dream Camp Foundation.
Mr. Eaton's goals are to continually facilitate love to children through music, teaching them to find their voice, communicate effectively and find success and fulfillment in their personal skill set and talent.
Partnership with The Curtis Institute of Music
In 2019, students from Girard College partnered with composer Nick DiBerardino and singers Aaron Crouch and Lindsey Reynolds from The Curtis Institute of Music in the creation of a new operatic work for children, "Anansi and the Great Light" based on the African folktale "Anansi the Spider."
Watch the making-of and performance specials that were aired on PBS WHYY in Philadelphia.