Students
“Mr. Davis helped me tremendously with the piece we worked on in the lesson as well as with overall music making. Mr. Davis is different from most instructors in that he only has three or so students. During my lesson, some of the most helpful aspects of French Horn playing we discussed were keeping the air vibrating between the notes, opening the throat, and singing to help with musicality, sound, and tension. In our lesson together, I learned lots about, and improved upon, music making. I would highly recommend Mr. Davis as an instructor.”
Andrew Arloro
11th Grade
New York, NY
“I came to Professor Davis at the age of 12 facing severe technical issues in my playing. I remember not wanting to pick up the horn, overwhelmed by the frustration and difficulty. But over the years, he mended my habits while laying an artistic foundation that made me realize my passion for music. He offers a holistic, logic-based approach to the horn, and I couldn’t recommend him more to a prospective student. Despite leaving for college, Professor Davis remains a trusted mentor in my life.”
James Picarello
The Julliard School
New York, NY
Colleagues and Mentors
“Eric and I have been colleagues for nearly 20 years! He is a phenomenal performer, and we were delighted to have him join us as the soloist in the Strauss Horn Concerto with the Brookyln Conservatory Community Orchestra in 2008. Over the years, I have asked him to join the orchestra as a leader of the horn section in many concerts, and he frequently coaches the horns and the entire brass section. The adult community musicians love working with Eric, who is able to target each individual’s strengths and needed areas of growth in a supportive and imaginative fashion. Eric has also been a teaching artist in the Brooklyn Conservatory’s Music Partners Program, which provides school-based instruction in band, strings, early childhood music and more, to nearly 5,000 students across NYC. Eric has worked with students in 4th grade and up, patiently guiding them on the fundamentals of beginning and intermediate trumpet and trombone technique and performance in our flagship programs at PS 321 and many other schools. Eric is an expert educator and a world class horn player. It is a great pleasure to work with him.”
Dorothy Savitch
Music Director
Brooklyn Conservatory Community Orchestra
Director, the Music Partners Program at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music
“I got to know Dr. Eric Davis during the time he was a doctoral student at Rutgers University. I was aware that he was a top freelance player in New York City and was deeply impressed by the beauty of his tone quality. I was equally impressed by his natural musicality and how he approached the style of each piece he performed. We became friends when he was doing research on German and French horn playing. I saw then that he is not only a superb musician but one with a probing and analytical mind. He sought data that was very difficult to locate and produced an excellent and important body of research. In addition to his high-level performance career, he is a distinguished and caring teacher with immense knowledge and experience to share with his students.”
Dr. Scott Whitener
Professor of Music, Emeritus
Rutgers University
Author of A Complete Guide to Brass: Instruments and Technique (Schirmer Books)
“In my experiences performing with Dr. Eric Davis, I can say that without a doubt Dr. Davis, is the consummate musician! His sensitivity to phrase, pitch, style, dynamics, and articulations elevates music ensembles of all genres! What I’ve personally enjoyed most about performing with Dr. Davis, is that passion truly comes from within, and provides the heart, and soul to all music – As demonstrated by Dr. Davis, every time I’ve had the honor of participating in performances with him!”
Dr. Richard Antoine White
Associate Professor, Tuba/Euphonium
University of New Mexico
Motivational Speaker || Principal Tubist, NMPHIL/Santa Fe Sym || Tubist Gateways Brass Collective