Eileen M. Folson (born Eileen M. Garden, 1956 – February 4, 2007) was a Broadway composer, professional cellist, and a

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

nominee.

Early life and education

Folson was born in 1956 as the fourth of six children. She began playing piano at around age 5 and took up her brother's trumpet after he quit, with an interest in becoming a jazz bassoonist. Although the cello eventually became her major instrument, she was able to play several other instruments. At the Philadelphia High School for Girls, she learned how to play harp, bassoon, cello,

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a musica ...

, and

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standar ...

. She chose to focus on the cello, although she continued to play the trumpet in the bands that she played in with brothers Earl and Mark. Folson then attended the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia on scholarship, followed by

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

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Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

where she earned both her Bachelor of Music and her Master of Music in cello performance.

Professional career

Folson's professional career began when she was chosen to apprentice with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of

Zubin Mehta Zubin Mehta (born 29 April 1936) is an Indian conductor of Western classical music. He is music director emeritus of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) and conductor emeritus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Mehta's father was the fou ...

. She first appeared as a student soloist with the

Philadelphia Orchestra The Philadelphia Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One of the " Big Five" American orchestras, the orchestra is based at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where it performs its subscripti ...

at the age of 17. Her professional accomplishments include: * New York Philharmonic Orchestra Fellow * Broadway musician (including '' Phantom of the Opera'', ''

Into the Woods ''Into the Woods'' is a 1987 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. T ...

'', ''

Ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott ...

'', ''

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'' and ''

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'') * Grammy-nominated composer (J.J'S Jam from the album USQ ''Just Wait a Minute!'') * Studio musician (including Mary J. Blige,

Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...

Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. A classically trained pianist, Keys started composing songs when she was 12 and was signed at 15 years old by Colu ...

and

Mýa Mya Marie Harrison (; born October 10, 1979), (stylized as Mýa), is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress. Born into a musical family, she studied ballet, jazz, and tap dance as a child. Initially, Mýa began her career as a VJ ...

) * Orchestral musician (Alicia Keys,

Gladys Knight Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944), known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer, actress and businesswoman. A seven-time Grammy Award-winner, Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys K ...

Max Roach Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in history. He wo ...

and the Double Quartet, The Uptown String Quartet, The Black Swan String Quartet) * Television appearances (''

The Bill Cosby Show ''The Bill Cosby Show'' is an American sitcom television series, that aired for two seasons on NBC's Sunday night schedule from 1969 until 1971, under the sponsorship of Procter & Gamble. There were 52 episodes made in the series. It marked Bill ...

''; ''Mr. Roger's Neighborhood'') * Touring musician (

Luther Vandross Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known for his sweet and soulful vocals, Vandross has sold over 40 million records worldwide. He achieved eleven consecutive P ...

)

Personal life

Eileen Folsom was married for 28 years to Jack Folson; they had two children. She attended the First Baptist Church of Hillside. She died on February 4, 2007.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Folson, Eileen 1956 births 2007 deaths American classical cellists University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance alumni 20th-century American musicians 20th-century classical musicians Philadelphia High School for Girls alumni American women classical cellists 20th-century American women musicians 21st-century American women 20th-century cellists