Eric Sampsel, Instructor of Trombone

What do Chemical Engineering and music have in common?  Not much!  But the two provide a good balance for our newest addition to the brass faculty, trombone instructor Eric Sampsel of Oak Ridge.

Eric, who began playing trombone at age 9, maintains a busy musical life in addition to his work at the Y-12 facility.  He is a member of the Oak Ridge Community Orchestra and keeps an active performance calendar as well, playing often for churches and other groups in eastern Tennessee.  During a three-year period while living and working in Atlanta, Eric was a charter member of the Cobb Wind Symphony, an adult community band based in Marietta, GA.  He also enjoys playing with a trombone quartet whose other three members live in the Knoxville area and are former UT bandmates.

Eric is married to another Music Arts faculty member, flute instructor Beth Sampsel.  The two met while members of the University of Tennessee Wind Ensemble and the Pride of the Southland Marching Band.  While in college, Eric studied under Don Hough and performed regularly with the UT Trombone Choir, one of the most active and well-regarded performance groups on campus.  Eric also plays piano and handbells and sings bass in his church choir.

One area that Eric likes to focus on with his students is intonation.  “Playing trombone requires that you develop a good ear,” says Eric.  “Trombone is the only wind instrument in which you hold your tuning slide in your hand, therefore it is essential that you know exactly what the next note should sound like.”  In order to help his students develop these skills, much attention is given to tone development and interval recognition.

Eric lives with his wife and two young children in central Oak Ridge.  He teaches from his home studio on Mondays and Thursdays.  To learn more about Eric or to schedule lessons, just contact us at Music Arts!