A native of Pittsburgh and currently residing in the great state of Wyoming, Eric Richards is a versatile and widely performed composer/arranger, conductor, trombonist and educator active in a broad range of musical media and genres. As a composer who defines himself as a “contemporary American eclectic”, he has written music for groups ranging from rural high school marching bands to chamber music ensembles to nationally recognized wind ensembles, big bands, and symphony orchestras. Eric’s work as a composer/arranger and trombonist has been heard worldwide in performances recordings by professional and academic ensembles in major concert venues across the United States, Europe, Asia and India to include: 
• The US Army Field Band and Jazz Ambassadors 
• The USAF Band and the Airmen of Note
 • The US Army Band (Pershing's Own) and the Army Blues 
• The US Marine Band (The President's Own) 
• The US Navy Band and the Navy Commodores 
• The USAF Brass in Blue (Offutt AFB) with guest soloist Joseph Alessi (NY Philharmonic) 
• The National Symphony Orchestra
 • The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
 • The Boston Pops  Orchestra
• The New World Symphony Brass Ensemble with guest soloist Ian Bousfield
• The University of North Texas Wind Ensemble
 • The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Jazz Orchestra “2.0” and Wind Ensemble 
• The California State University-Long Beach Concert Jazz Orchestra
• The University of Northern Colorado Jazz Lab Band I
• The Hall High School Concert Jazz Band (West Hartford, CT) 

Concert venues include: Carnegie Hall (New York), the Midwest Clinic (Chicago) and the Montreux, Nice, and North Sea Jazz Festivals. Recent engagements as a guest composer, conductor and teacher include residencies or commissions at: 
• Washington State University
• Shanghai Conservatory of Music
• Taipei Jazz Orchestra
• Winona State University
• Wyoming Jazz Educators Big Band
• Yellowstone Jazz Camp 
• Lamont School of Music (University of Denver)
• Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra (Denver, CO)
• The Omaha Youth Symphony 
• The Metropolitan Area Youth Jazz Orchestra (Omaha, NE)
• Colorado Christian University

From 1984 – 2004, Eric served as Composer/Arranger with The United States Army Field Band, the Army’s premiere touring musical organization based near Washington DC. His works for jazz orchestra, wind ensemble, symphony orchestra, and voices were heard by audiences worldwide. He honorably retired at the decorated rank of Master Sergeant (E-8). Eric earned the Doctor of Musical Arts (Composition) degree from the University of Maryland at College Park where he studied with Mark Wilson and Robert Gibson. He holds the Master of Music (Composition) and Bachelor of Science (Music Education) degrees from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh where he studied with John “Doc” Wilson, Joseph Willcox Jenkins, and Matty Shiner. 

A regularly commissioned composer-arranger, Eric is available to answer inquiries regarding commissions. Please note that his production schedule develops as much as two years in advance. To inquire about commissions and explore his music further, please contact him at:
eric@ericrichards.com

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