Eric Leong

Eric Leong is a performer and teacher of violin, viola, cello, double bass, trumpet, and piano. He performs internationally as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player. He began piano at age 5, violin at age 7 and trumpet at ge 9. He holds a bachelors degree from the San Francisco Conservatory where his primary teachers were Ian Swensen and Mark Sokol. In 2001, Eric received his Masters of Music Degree from the Manhattan School of Music where he studied with Patinka Kopec.

From 2001 to present, Eric has been a member of the UBS Verbier Festival Orchestra, directed by James Levine. In this orchestra, he worked under the baton of world class artists such as Kurt Masur, Yuri Temiranov, Kent Nagano, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Yuri Bashmet, Mstislav Rostropovich, Gabor Takas Naggy and Dimitry Sitkovetsky. He has participated in such music festivals as Eastern Music Festival, Summer Music West (SF), Aspen Music Festival, Musica Da Camera (Positano, Italy), Henry Mancini Institute, California Music Festival, and the UBS Verbier Festival.

Outside of the classical music circle, he has performed with prestigious musicians such as Ray Charles, Bjork, Terence Blanchard, Josh Groban, Poperazzi, Bella Sorella and Bud Shank. He served as concertmaster of the Peninsula Symphony in the 2002-3 season. He was a member of San Jose Opera from 2004-7. In 2008, He served as Concertmaster of the “Viva La Musica” Choir Orchestra. In 2006 he won the San Francisco Concerto Orchestra Competition and appeared as soloist with the orchestra. Since then he has made multiple solo appearances with the Silicon Valley Symphony, De Anza Chamber Orchestra, and the Saratoga Symphony. He is currently concertmaster and conductor’s assistant for the De Anza Chamber Orchestra. He performs with other orchestras including Santa Cruz Symphony, Marin Symphony, Symphony Silicon Valley, SF Chamber Orchestra, Modesto Symphony and Reno Philharmonic.

In addition to music, Eric is a practitioner and certified teacher of yoga in the BKS Iyengar tradition. During the winter season, he is a competitive big wave surfer. Eric’s brother, Dana Leong, is a well- versed multi- talented musician with degrees from the Manhattan School of Music. Eric makes occasional trips to New York City, where he collaborates with Dana for recordings, concerts and other musical projects.