Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Hart.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Eric. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was born in the Central Valley of California, Herald California to be exact. I was homeschooled from an early age and never really saw myself to be anywhere near the position I am at now studying at Berklee College of Music.
My first introduction to music was from my mom playing records all throughout the house from before I was born. I still remember all the lyrics to Vince Gill’s Greatest Hits. My music influences are very wide-ranging. My Dad played a lot of Southern Rock and Roll where my mom listened to all the oldies music of the ’50s to the ’70s. Being apart of a lot of many heritages including Mexican, Philippino, Chinese, Dutch, Austrian, and Irish. I identify the most with Mexican even though I don’t speak Spanish and am terrible at playing Latin music. I recently am taking action about this and immersing myself in the art of Brazilian and Afro-Cuban drumming styles. I find through deepening my knowledge of the culture I am getting a little more in touch with my heritage.
Growing up in the country I am no stranger to hard work whether it was planting trees, working in the garden. building fences, and my dad being in construction, heavy machinery, lumber, and construction sites were very fun to be on.
My Dad was a drummer and is partly the reason why I am a drummer today. I started playing around the age of 14 but just for fun at the house. I took drumming seriously when I enrolled in the local Community College at 18. I was apart of the school jazz band, directed by Robert Knable. This was where I fell in love with the art of jazz drumming. I started taking lessons to develop my technical skills and overtime was introduced to Daniel Paulson, the school’s Choral Director. I started accompanying the school choir playing the Hapi Drum and also played in his Women’s Choir, Vox Musica. During my time at community college my mom looked up all the music schools and Berklee caught my attention. I liked the idea of studying music full time and further my aspirations for being a studio musician. I applied to various music schools on the east coast but Berklee was the only school that said yes, so I went with them even though Berklee was my first choice from the start. I feel the start I had helped me break into the scene around Berklee as I am both complimented and critiqued for being professional and serious.
All of this aside what is truly remarkable for me about the life I am able to live now is the fact growing up my brother and I never saw this in our future. We are up in a middle-class household. My Dad owns his own Heating and Air Company and my Mom stayed home to teach us full time. I never imagined being able to take a bus to New York and seeing multiple Broadway musicals such as Dear Evan Hansen. At Berklee I have been able to grow as a Jazz drummer and take lessons with Jon Hazilla and my current instructor Henrique De Almeida who is a phenomenal drummer and coach.
I currently work in the Voice Department as a drum set accompanist. I play in first-semester voice classes that help vocalists communicate with the rhythm section and develop their on stage skills through developing grooves and presence. Also through this job, I get to work in recording ensembles.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This journey has definitely not been a smooth road and not a straight one either. The biggest concern in attending this college is the tuition. For a middle-class family of four we have always been comfortable but the cost of attendance is a very large hurdle. Since I came to Berklee at 22, it was fortunate that my parents could take out loans through the federal government but now that I’m in my third year and 24, they can no longer take those same loans out and now for me the money is coming all out of pocket. Also, my brother attends Berklee too so now my parents have twice the amount of loans and costs such as housing.
Also when auditioning for I was told by some schools, I was a beginner in Jazz and wasn’t considered for jazz programs but that only created a drive in me to master the art of jazz drumming and pride myself in being very good at it. Because of this, I get asked to record and perform in student recitals and recording projects.
Being homeschooled my experience in social setting were stunted and in result, I come off as shy and often time overlooked as being quiet and surprise lots of people with my playing. Being homeschooled I learned a lot of etiquettes and have a very professional, respectful attitude but being at a very loose and free music school I hit a lot of resistance from students but gained a lot of respect from professors.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I enjoyed when we would occasionally take a trip to the Sierra Nevada Mountains during Christmas. It was nice to be around the snow and see all the forests. It’s nice compared to Boston where there were no blizzards and you can enjoy walks in forested parks in the dead of winter. The towns around had little antique and trinket shops and was a very pleasant time.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: jespynpercussion
Image Credit:
Jordan M. Hart
Pascal A. Garoute
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