Currently residing in Madison Wisconsin, Nebraska native ERIC MILLER is a musician with unusually wide interests. He slips easily between genres, but as a performer his heart lives in the world of the 17th and 18th centuries, in particular music composed for the viola da gamba. This instrument, having seven strings and frets like a lute, requires an especially sophisticated bowing technique and was often compared to the human voice and considered the most noble of instruments. The cello, which lies in a similar range, eventually displaced the the gamba due to its greater power, but over the centuries the viola da gamba has always been cultivated by a few, and recently has grown into a rebirth around the world as its nuanced sound still speaks to the modern soul, perhaps more than ever.

Over a decade ago, while completing his masters degree in cello at UW-Madison, Eric began to seriously play the viola da gamba during his spare time, perhaps to the neglect of his cello studies. Cobbling together advice from touring professionals, putting in hours of late night sessions, and taking long drives for single lessons with eminent players, Eric has worked steadily to deepen his knowledge of the instrument. He is on a mission to bring the warmth and ethereal beauty of this instrument and its repertoire to others in both intimate and large spaces.

Eric will present an evening of solo music for the viola da gamba and baroque cello. The night will include solo cello suites of Bach, the recently unearthed solo Fantasias of Telemann, and other less known but equally beautiful works from the 17th and 18th centuries written for the viola da gamba from France, Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Eric believes in the power of music to transform and ground oneself, to communicate and pass on cultural heritage, and to contribute to building entirely new ways of thinking and being on this planet with one another.
In addition to solo performances around Wisconsin, Eric is a member of the Wisconsin Baroque Ensemble and has played cello with Satchel Paige and Katie Burns. Eric directs and founded the Madison Youth Viol Consort, teaches Suzuki cello lessons, and has also taught in the Madison schools since 2009. Eric holds degrees in music from Northern Illinois University and UW-Madison.