Eric Baker grew up in Ft. Worth, TX, and began playing the trumpet at age 11. He received his B.M. in Music Education from the University of Texas at Arlington, and earned his Master’s Degree in Trumpet Performance from Arizona State University where he studied with internationally renowned trumpet soloist and pedagogue, David Hickman. He was a member of The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps for three years (2000, 2002, 2003), and taught the Santa Clara Vanguard as a brass staff member in 2011.
Mr. Baker moved to Odessa, TX in July 2006 to begin his tenure as Co-Principal trumpet with the Midland/Odessa Symphony and Chorale. He has also performed with the Big Spring Symphony, the San Angelo Symphony, the Legend Brass Quintet, the West Texas Trumpet Workshop, and the Salt River Brass Band. He also performs regularly with the Lone Star Brass Quintet, Jumping Giants, The Pinstripes Jazz Quartet, and The Sipriano Swing Band. He free-lances all over West Texas, and is a highly soughtafter marching band clinician and private teacher. He has performed in several states and Mexico.
In 2007 Mr. Baker was invited to be a featured soloist at the Western International Band Clinic in Seattle, WA. In 2010, he was a semi-finalist for the National Young Artists Competition, and in 2011 he performed as soloist with the Midland/Odessa Symphony. Mr. Baker appears on the albums "What Sweeter Music," and "Rocket Science." He was appointed to the position of Director of Bands at Odessa College in 2009 where he conducts the Concert, Jazz, and Athletic bands, teaches the trumpet studio, conducts the opera productions, and serves as Chair of Visual and Performing Arts Department. He also serves on the board of directors for the Odessa Council for the Arts and Humanities, the Public Art Committee, and the West Texas Jazz Society. His wife, Emily is the director of the MOSC Voices of the Permian Basin. They have three daughters, Piper, Keller, and Harper.