Eric Conway, Conductor
Morgan State University Choir
Dr. Eric Conway
Chair, Morgan State University
Department of Fine and Performing Arts
Director, Morgan State University Choir
Since 2004, Eric Conway has served as the director of the Morgan State University Choir as well as chair of the Fine and Performing Arts Department. Conway has travelled virtually all over the world, directing the choir in Czech Republic, Ghana, China, Russia, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, and Colombia, to name just a few destinations. Prior to serving as Director, Conway served as principal accompanist for the choir for over twenty years.
He received his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University where he majored in Piano Performance and minored in Conducting. While at the Peabody, Conway was a recipient of the prestigious Liberace Scholarship, as well as a winner in the Yale Gordon Concerto Competition where earned the honor of playing Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Piano Concerto with the Peabody Symphony Orchestra.
Some of his significant accomplishments as pianist include a tour of Eastern Africa, sponsored by the United States Information Agency. One of the highlights of the tour was a solo performance for Madagascan television and radio. He has performed as soloist with several orchestras including: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, Baltimore Concert Artists, Johns Hopkins Symphony Orchestra, Georgetown University Orchestra, and the Millbrook Orchestra in Shepardstown, West Virginia. In January, 2006, he performed Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall to wide acclaim.
Dr. Conway is also sought after as a collaborative artist. He has worked with several leading artists including: Trevor Wye, Hillary Hahn, Daniel Heifetz, William Brown, and Janice Chandler, to name a few. He was also an orchestral pianist for the Baltimore Symphony from 1993-2004. In 1994 and 1997, he toured with the orchestra to Eastern Asia, including Korea, Japan and Taiwan.
Dr. Conway’s choral accomplishments include working closely with some of the greatest conductors of the 20th Century including Robert Shaw, Sir Nevelle Mariner, and Donald Neuen. In 2001, he was chorusmaster for the Baltimore Symphony Chorus’ performance of the Verdi Requiem. He travels around the mid-Atlantic area giving Choral Master Classes and workshops for Collegiate and High School levels. In June of 2006, Dr. Conway was Chorusmaster for performances of Mahler Symphony #2, ending the tenure of Baltimore Symphony’s music director, Yuri Temirkanov.
In September 2015, he was asked personally, by Aretha Franklin, to conduct a choir to accompany her in her performance for Pope Francis during his visit to the United States. In December 2015, he conducted the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in a special Holiday Christmas Concert with the Morgan Choir. In addition to his musical accomplishments, he holds degrees in both Accounting and Business Management and was a Certified Public Accountant with KPMG for many years. Conway was a member of the Maryland State Arts Council from 2012-2015.
Dr. Conway is married to Bessie Elizabeth Conway, and they are blessed to have three sons: Eric, Jr.; Christopher; and Ryan.