Eric West – guitarist/teacher
Eric performs primarily on solo guitar, playing a variety of original compositions, traditional arrangements, and classical pieces. He also sings his original songs at folk festivals and smaller venues. Eric performs and conducts workshops at schools, folk festivals, and libraries. He is also occasionally plays at special events such as weddings and art gallery openings.
Biography
West has composed for radio, television and stage. His publications include an anthology of original songs, a guitar method book, five volumes of folk song arrangements and a childrens book/CD.
Since 1988 Eric has performed and recorded with Heather Walter in the duo ‘Heather and Eric’. They have performed for children across Canada and in the USA. Heather and Eric have recorded three albums and were featured in five TV specials. In 1996 they wrote and recorded the children’s book/CD Wind Over Dark Tickle (Breakwater Books with CBC-Radio). They were co-winners of the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Achievement Award (1994) and recipients of the 1993 Writers Award from the Outdoor Writers of America for the TV special No Small Wonder (CBC-TV).
After serving as Musician in Residence for Gros Morne National Park in 1999, Eric collaborated with musician Shirley Montague and photographer Michael Burzynski to produce Gros Morne – A Musical Journey, a CD-ROM featuring music, songs and images inspired by Gros Morne National Park.
In 2000 Eric started the Vinland Music Camp – an annual week-long workshop dedicated to teaching and preserving the music and dances of Newfoundland and Labrador. He presently is the Camp’s director as well as a guitar instructor. In 2007 the Soundbone Traditional Arts Foundation was incorporated to run the Camp as well as develop other traditional arts education projects.
Besides his professional activities, Eric directs and accompanies the Potluck Singers – an amateur singing group that performs in hospitals, nursing homes and other venues around the province. They have performed at locations throughout Newfoundland and toured Ireland in 2007.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council awarded Eric the 2007 Arts Achievement Award for his contribution to the arts in this province.
Eric resides in Ladle Cove, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland.
E-mail Address: info@vinlandmusic.ca
Phone: (709) 670-3377
