MUSE • Musicians United for Social Equity

Biography

Gyasi J. Blanton, a native of New Jersey, is an active musician, music director, music educator and composer/arranger. He currently serves as the assistant director of choirs at Stratford High School. He graduated from the first Historically Black College/University: The Lincoln University of Pennsylvania where he obtained the Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Music Education (magna cum laude) as well as a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Vocal Performance (magna cum laude).  During that time, he was a member of the prestigious Concert Choir under the direction of Edryn Coleman traveling the world. He then obtained the Master of Music Education in Choral Music Education at Florida State University where he studied with André Thomas, Judy Bowers and Kevin Fenton.

Mr. Blanton was one of the artistic directors with the New Jersey Youth Chorus “Coro Vivo” a boy choir of unchanged Voices. Under his direction, this ensemble performed at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden and with the Keystone State Boychoir.  As a composer and arranger, Blanton’s” Invictus,” “Entreat Me Not to Leave You,” “The Dream Keeper” and “The Water Is Wide” have performed in recitals, master classes and concerts. As a researcher, his passion is the non-idiomatic music of black composers. He has presented this underrepresented area of music at state and regional conferences.

Stage credits include: Treemonsha (Andy), Hansel and Gretel (The Witch), Man of La Mancha (Sancho), Kismet (The Caliph), The Medium (Toby), Pippin (Leading Player), Hairspray(u/s Seaweed), Porgy and Bess (Ensemble), The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee (Mitch Mahoney).

Blanton also served as music director for productions of: A Christmas Carol, Pippin, Little Women, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Pajama Game, A Class Act, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid Jr., My Fair Lady, She Loves Me, Urinetown, Singin’ in the Rain and Mamma Mia (Cancelled due to COVID), Nunsense, Something Rotten!, Legally Blonde, Peter Pan (Craig Barna), Young Frankenstein (Tommy Tune Award), and Footloose.

Mr. Blanton is affiliated with Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society, American Choral Director’s Association (ACDA), Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Texas Choral Director’s Association (TCDA), National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM), National Association for the Study and Performance of African-American Music (NASPAAM), New Jersey Music Educators Association (NJMEA), National Association for Music Educators (NaFME), The Academia Society Inc., Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America, and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.

Research interests include:

• Non-idiomatic choral music of black composers

• All-state choral repertoire

• Musical Theatre