Biography
Since the mid 2000’s, Eric Scholes has made his mark on the New Zealand entertainment industry as bass player, band leader, orchestral musician, soloist, recording artist and teacher. After completing his postgraduate degree at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore Maryland, Eric returned to play full time as a member of the bass section of the Auckland Philharmonia. He also plays for New Zealand Barok, the country’s leading baroque specialists, and for the Auckland Chamber Orchestra where a focus on contemporary New Zealand works is paramount. Eric’s skills on both electric bass guitar and double bass have found him backing a diverse array of musicians including Claire Cowan’s Blackbird Ensemble, psyche-jazz group Carnivorous Plant Society, mystic-soul singer Lou’ana, and punk quartet The DHDFD’s. Eric made his soloist debut in 2019, performing the Dittersdorf Double Bass Concerto in D Major with New Zealand Barok. He teaches both the double bass and electric bass in schools and runs a private teaching studio from his home. You might find Eric holding down the low-end with his own band Coco-Rocky, late on a Saturday night, dishing up classic disco grooves at the Lula Inn on Auckland’s viaduct.