Eric Bowser Violinist

Eric Bowser began the study of the violin in 2001 in Houston, Texas, at the age of 6. Upon moving with his family to the Hill Country in 2002, he joined the Hill Country Youth Orchestra and began private violin study with Long Zhou, concertmaster of the Symphony of the Hills.  Eric traveled to China with Mr. Zhou’s Strings in Motion student ensemble where the group performed in many of the major cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guiyang.   In 2006, Eric joined the Symphony of the Hills where he became the group’s youngest member.  Six years later, Eric continues to be the youngest musician in the orchestra and is its final high school-aged member.   Eric has been engaged each summer in prestigious music festivals. He has participated in the Cactus Pear Music Festival in San Antonio, the Eastern Music Festival in North Carolina, the Baylor University orchestra and chamber music camps, and the Idyllwild Arts Symphony and Chamberfesin California.

  In addition, Eric has successfully auditioned for orchestras sponsored by the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA).  He has been chosen the concertmaster of all the age level Region Orchestras for which he has auditioned in the greater San Antonio area for the past six out of seven years.  In addition, Eric successfully placed for positions in the TMEA’s All-State orchestras and performed at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center each of his four high school years.  He was named a 2012 Young Master by the Texas Commission of the Arts. In March he performed at the Texas Medal of Arts Awards in Austin for the VIP Legislative Reception at the Blanton Museum of Art on the University of Texas Campus.

  Eric has been selected to be part of the first National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America this summer. This honor comes from Carnegie Hall and its Weill Music Institute.According to the announcement from Carnegie Hall’s Artistic Director, Bowser is considered to be among “the best of the best” young musicians in the United States.

  As a member of NYO-USA, Bowser will join other select young musicians between June 30 and July 23, 2013, and work with orchestra director James Ross and principal players from some of America’s top orchestras during a residency at Purchase College in Purchase, New York. The group will then tour with maestro Valery Gergiev and violin soloist Joshua Bell, traveling to Washington, DC, St. Petersburg, Moscow, and London.

  Locally, Eric and his friends can be heard performing for various civic groups, retirement homes, the veteran’s hospitals, and for weddings. Eric also enjoys playing bluegrass fiddle music and the piano.He will graduate from Our Lady of the Hills in May and will be attending Baylor University to continue pursuing a career in music this fall.