Eric Willie
Biography
Having performed on three continents, Eric has presented solo performances throughout the United States, Russia, Brasil, and Colombia. In the United States, Eric has performed or conducted at multiple Percussive Arts Society’s International Conventions (PASIC), Midwest Clinics, state days of percussion, and music educator conventions.
A Fulbright Scholar, Eric studied and performed throughout northeastern Brasil. Living in Recife, Pernambuco, he progressed his study of Maracatu performing with the percussion group Quebra Baque. During this time, Eric was a Regency Professor at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) and held the role as Artistic Director of the LapTop Percussion Ensemble.
He has served on staff with the Cavaliers, as a Percussion Consultant with Phantom Regiment, and instructor and/or arranger for the Spirit, Carolina Crown, and Madison Scouts drum and bugle corps. Additionally, he has served as a consultant for the Catawba Ridge High School Percussion Ensemble (2024 WGI Percussion Scholastic Concert World Champions), Music City Mystique, University of North Texas Drum Line, and as Faculty for the Music for All World Percussion Symposium, among others.
His solos and books have been published by Musicon Publications, Ox and Lamb, TapSpace, and Row-Loff. His co-authored book, All-Inclusive Audition Etudes, has been adopted for use by various state music educators’ associations, and he recently contributed a chapter to Rehearsing the Concert and Marching Percussion Ensemble by Meredith Music (compiled by James Campbell).
Currently, Eric is Professor of Percussion Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where his percussion ensembles have been named winners of the 2015 and 2021 PAS International Percussion Ensemble Competition (IPEC). He and his wife, Rebecca, reside in Greensboro with their children Aiden and Elina.