Welcome to the website of Chicago saxophonist Eric Koppa. Eric’s latest jazz project, Evolution, has released its first album, “The Calling.” To hear sound clips or order a copy, please click here.
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About Eric Koppa
Saxophonist Eric Koppa began his musical journey in Monroe, Mich., a suburb of Detroit, discovering jazz music in 1989 when he was 12 years old. With friend and fellow musician Jacob Sacks (Christophe Schweitzer), he organized a jazz combo in junior high. This was followed by years of participation at the Montreal Detroit Jazz Festival and an introduction to some of the great jazz artists of the Detroit area.
Eric received many Outstanding Soloist awards his junior and senior years at festivals and competitions, including nomination to play lead alto in an honors workshop band led by Frank Mantooth. For three years in high school, he occupied the lead alto chair at the MSBOA sponsored Michigan Youth Arts Festival held in the spring at Western Michigan University. While at WMU, he received clinic instruction from his future saxophone professor, Trent Kynaston.
During summers, Eric attended Bowling Green’s jazz summer camps and studied with Cleveland saxophonist Ernie Krivda and bassist Jeff Halsey. He also spent a summer at Jamey Aebersold’s jazz camp in Elmhurst, IL, again finding Trent Kynaston a source of support as a member of the camp faculty.