“Eric Miller’s playing is enlightening and creative. He reaches lyrical levels which resound with a finely tuned sense of comprehension and artistic originality. He is also an excellent writer.” –Curtis Fuller
"Eric Miller keeps writing and writing more and more new music, and he tells a story when he solos." --Wayne Shorter
Biography
At the age of 14 Eric Miller became a member of the Nassau Suffolk Jazz Ensemble, which was under the direction of NYSSMA coordinator and educator William Katz. Eric was first trombonist and soloist for 5 years performing with guest artists including Gary Smulyan and Conrad Herwig. Eric auditioned and was chosen to attend the New York State Summer School of the Arts Jazz Institute at Skidmore College for four summers, where he won the Dean L. Harrington music scholarship at age 14. He also participated in the Skidmore Summer Orchestral Studies program where he was principle trombone. He was also first trombonist for two years in the Gibson/Baldwin Grammy Jazz Ensemble in California, performing with artists such as McCoy Tyner and James Moody during Grammy week shows. In addition, he has performed in the New York City Youth Symphony Jazz Band Classic in various venues including Carnegie Hall, with guest artists such as Steve Turre and Dick Oatts. In 2006, Eric was selected to participate in Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. While there, and under the tutelage of top jazz trombonist Curtis Fuller and other jazz legends, Eric further honed his musicianship and performance skills.
Eric was the winner of the 2010 International Trombone Association’s Carl Fontana Jazz Trombone Competition in Austin, Texas. He also taught at and was a featured guest artist at Jazzopolis, a festival in Palermo, Italy during the summer of 2010.
Eric has studied trombone with Curtis Fuller, Wycliffe Gordon, Luis Bonilla, Alan Kaplan, David Taylor, Michael Dease, Hal Crook, Andre Hayward, David Finlayson, Robin Eubanks, Jim Pugh, Steve Turre, and Elliot Mason among others. Eric received a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies at the Manhattan School of Music where he performed as a soloist in the Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra and Concert Jazz Bands, as well as with select combos that performed at annual Charles Mingus festivals and school gala events.
He also has performed with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra led by Wynton Marsalis, the Mingus Big Band, the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All Star Big Band, the Christian McBride Big Band, John Ellis, Jonathan Batiste, Michael Dease, Gordon Webster, and many others.
Eric graduated with a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies from the Herb Alpert School of Music at UCLA while also studying at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz in a dual degree program. While at the Thelonious Monk Institute, Eric had the opportunity to learn from Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, and many other well-esteemed artists in residence who instructed the ensemble each week. The group performed at the 2013 and 2014 UNESCO International Jazz Day Celebrations held in Istanbul, Turkey and Osaka, Japan. They also traveled and performed in various locations in Israel and Mexico. After graduating, the alumni of the Institute collectively formed a band called Holophonor. (www.holophonormusic.com) The band's debut CD was released on June 14, 2014. The band will be releasing a second album soon that was produced by Wayne Shorter.
Eric was also one of the six students to graduate from the 2015-2017 Juilliard Jazz Artist Diploma program. The Juilliard ensemble has done performance and teaching collaborations in Tokyo, Japan, in Torino, Italy, and in São Paulo, Brazil, as well as throughout various locations in the United States.
Substituting for Michael Dease, Eric taught jazz trombone lessons and studio classes at Michigan State University for one semester. Eric currently resides in New York.
Ever since his elementary school years, Eric has been developing and honing his performance skills, while receiving a richly rewarding education in the jazz arts. He enthusiastically shares his love for the art with the world. While deeply respecting and integrating the history of jazz, Eric simultaneously adventures into new imaginative territories with his compositions and performances.