Geoffrey Haydon

Keyboard: Piano

Piano, Jazz Piano
Coordinator of Keyboard Studies

A native of Manassas, Virginia, Dr. Geoffrey Haydon has successfully bridged both classical and jazz styles of performance. Currently Dr. Haydon coordinates the piano faculty at Georgia State University where he teaches piano, piano literature, jazz history and jazz theory. Known as a classical and jazz soloist, he is also a member of the Haydon-Lyke Piano Duo, the American Music Trio, the Haydon/Parker Duo and the Georgia State University Faculty Jazztet.

Dr. Haydon has performed throughout the U.S., in Europe, Russia, China, Japan, South America and Central America. He has performed with well-known jazz artists such as Eddie Daniels, Joe Henderson, Bill Watrous, Marvin Stamm, Nick Brignola, Randy Brecker, Indugu Chancler, Conrad Herwig and Hal Crook. He has also performed with touring shows including The Phantom of the Opera, The King and I,The Producers, Hairspray, Sister Act and Grease.

In addition, Dr. Haydon is in demand as a clinician and adjudicator. He has numerous publications with Alfred Publishing, Warner Bros., Stipes Publishing and is co-author of Jazz History Overview, a textbook by Kendall Hunt Publishing. In collaboration with editor Robert Pace and arranger James Lyke, Dr. Haydon has co-arranged American popular songs for solo piano in a book titled Oldies But Goodiespublished by Lee Roberts Publications (distributed by Hal Leonard Publications).Beginning Jazz, a book of Dr. Haydon’s jazz piano compositions, and a Christmas piano duet book have been published by Lee Roberts Publications. Both include MIDI accompaniment tracks available on CD. He has developed an impressive reputation as someone with a high level of expertise using technology in the areas of performance, composition, arranging and pedagogy.

Dr. Haydon is an artist/clinician with the Contemporary Keyboard Division of Roland. He can be heard on Cabin Fever, a jazz CD by the McLean-Haydon Jazz Quartet, and My Foolish Heart, a jazz piano/vibraphone CD by the Haydon/Parker Duo.  Both CDs are available on the ACA Digital label. Dr. Haydon received his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Richmond and studied three summers at the Aspen Music Festival. He received his Master and Doctorate of Musical Arts degrees from the University of Texas at Austin where he studied with Nancy Garrett and Gregory Allen.