Eric Samuels

Eric Samuels’ diverse career as soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player has allowed him to perform in the New York area, throughout most of the United States, in Europe, and the Far East. Bernard Greenhouse, formerly of the Beaux Arts Trio, has said of Samuels, “He has distinguished himself among his colleagues as an intelligent and gifted musician of the highest level. Eric has captured the essence of a beautiful sound, and approaches the cello with great sensitivity, as well as technical virtuosity.” Mr. Samuels has performed as Principal Cellist with the Albany Symphony Orchestra, Houston Grand Opera and Ballet Orchestras, NY Gilbert & Sullivan Players, Bard College Chamber Orchestra, Utica & Schenectady Symphonies, Westchester Symphony Orchestra, Aspen Chamber Orchestra, and the Utah Music Festival Orchestra. In addition, he has performed with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, The Jupiter Symphony, Philharmonia Virtuosi, the Bronx Arts Ensemble, the Phoenix Symphony, Boise Philharmonic, and Utah Symphony. His career as soloist has included many regional orchestras in the United States and Europe. Mr. Samuels has served on the faculties of Sarah Lawrence College, SUNY Albany, the Utah Music Festival, Master Works Festival, and the Waterloo Music Festival (NJ). While a member of the criticallyacclaimed Laurentian String Quartet based at Sarah Lawrence College, Eric traveled internationally on a 48-week/year touring schedule. Eric studied with Leonard Rose at The Juilliard School, and Bernard Greenhouse at SUNY Stony Brook, where has was awarded a Master of Music degree. He continued his studies for an additional 4 years with Bernard Greenhouse in the pursuit of a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Rutgers University. Mr. Samuels awards include prizes in the Artists International, the Sunwood Soloist, the Stony Brook Trio, and the SAI competitions. Among Mr. Samuels’ teachers and coaches have been Claus Adam, Julius Baker, Samuel Baron, Isidore Cohen, Timothy Eddy, Robert Gardner, Elsa Hilger, Einar Holm, Jay Humeston, Warren Lash, Ronald Leonard, Robert Levin, Theodore Lettvin, Zara Nelsova, Channing Robbins, Charles Rosen, Harvey Shapiro, Arnold Steinhart, William Stokking, Michael Tree, and André Watts. Along with his wife, flutist Alison Griffiths, Mr. Samuels is a founding member of the Utah Music Festival & School. Mr. Samuels performs on a cello made in 1803 in Cremona, Italy, by J.B. Ceruti. The instrument is generously on loan from the Einar Holm Collection of the Ithaca Violoncello Institute, Ithaca, NY. Eric lives with his wife & flutist, Alison Griffiths Samuels, and their four boys in Park City, Utah. He coaches and plays soccer & tennis, and teaches skiing at Vail / Park City. His musical travels include New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Chicago, and Las Vegas. Alison and Eric enjoy being musical pioneers with the founding of the Utah Music Festival in 1994, and more recently, the Park City Youth Instrumental Program & the Park City / Summit County Orchestral & Choir.