Brent Stanton

Brent Stanton has been a part of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for
almost 30 years, holding a variety of administrative and executive positions, first as Director of
Chapter Relations from 2002-2005, Head of the Daytime and Children’s and Family Emmys from
2006 to 2024 and more recently as Head of NATAS National Membership.
Originally from New Zealand, Brent Stanton began playing music professionally at age 16,
performing, touring and recording there. In 1978 he moved to Australia to study at the Sydney
Conservatorium of Music which led to ongoing and varied performances, recordings and a
teaching career spanning many music genres over a period of 10 years. Performance venues
included live concerts, Broadway shows and many film and television soundtracks.
In 1980 Brent received the prestigious Don Banks Fellowship Award from the Australian Arts
Council, and studied music in the US.
Upon returning to Australia in 1981, Brent formed the Sydney Jazz Quintet. and toured
throughout Australia. The group performed and taught in schools as part of a project funded
and overseen by the Musica Viva arts organization. He designed the curriculum for jazz study
used by the primary and secondary school teachers in conjunction with the project.
In 1987 Brent returned to the US for further music study and ultimately relocated permanently
to New York shortly after, where he has since enjoyed an extensive jazz performance and
teaching career.
He returned to study further at Manhattan School of Music in 1991 and in 2000 released “The
Sign of the Kiwi” a jazz album. He regularly performs as a jazz flute soloist in the Tri-State
region and is also an adjunct professor at Jazz Music Institute, based in Brisbane, Australia as
part of their JMI Remote project.
Brent is passionate about creating deep connections with people, learning about their passions
and pursuits in the world of film and TV and music. He is also father to 25 year old boy/girl
twins, enjoys juggling a NATAS and jazz life in New York City and retreats to a small house in
upstate New York and the great outdoors (after all, he will always be a Kiwi!).