Eric Willie
University of North Carolina, Greensboro - United States
Overview
Described as a “true musical talent and professional” (Ivan Trevino, Composer), Eric Willie has a varied career as a solo performer, chamber musician, orchestral player, arranger, and teacher. He has performed in Carnegie Hall, at several Percussive Arts Society International Conventions, and on regional live broadcasts, such as Nashville’s NPR Station “Live In Studio C.”
Eric regularly performs with the Nief-Norf Project and the Eclectic Chamber Players. He has performed at the Big Ears Music Festival, seven Percussive Arts Society International Conventions (PASIC), multiple Eastern Trombone Workshops, the Florida Electroacoustic Music Festival, the World Saxophone Congress, and the Music for All National Percussion Festival. As an orchestral musician, he has performed as a percussionist with the Winston-Salem Symphony, Greensboro Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Nashville Ballet Orchestra, among others.
An avid promoter of new music for percussion, Eric has commissioned and/or premiered works by Christopher Adler, Doug Bristol, Greg Danner, Christopher Deane, Paul Lansky, Marc Mellits, Leroy Osmon, John Psathas, D.J. Sparr, Blake Tyson, Alejandro Viñao, Matt Walker, and James Wood. This includes the initial premieres of "Flow" by Ivan Trevino, John Mackey’s “Drum Music”, and the North American premiere of Aurél Hollo’s “Gamelan Bound/beFORe JOHN2.”
Active within the Percussive Arts Society (PAS), Eric currently serves as Chair of the International Percussion Ensemble Committee. In addition, Eric has served as President and Vice-President for the Tennessee Chapter of PAS, and as a New Literature and Recordings Reviewer for Percussive Notes journal. Besides his talents as a classical percussionist, Eric is known for his marching percussion arranging and teaching experience. He currently serves as a Percussion Consultant with the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, and has been instructor and/or arranger for the Spirit, Southwind, Carolina Crown, and the Madison Scouts drum and bugle corps. The University of North Texas, University of Kentucky, and the Murray State University Drum Lines have performed his marching percussion arrangements.
Eric is the new Assistant Professor of Percussion at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he directs a comprehensive percussion program and serves on the Graduate Faculty. Eric holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of North Texas, a Master of Music from the University of Kentucky, and a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Austin Peay State University.