Classics, rock, 'straight ahead' jazz are his beat

For percussionist Erik Holmes, there’s nothing like the rush of performing live, whether it’s rolling a crescendo on the cymbal with the Kettle Moraine Symphony or anchoring rhythm for a rock ‘n’ roll band. Erik is a drum set artist and percussionist in the Greater Milwaukee, WI area.

As a performer, arranger, and songwriter, Erik’s music has been used on Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Meredith Vieira Show, WWE, NFL, Birthday Boys (IFC), The Hunt with John Walsh, The Outsiders (WGN), It Takes a Church (GSN), District 31 (Canada), and many others.

As an educator, Erik maintains a busy private lesson schedule in West Bend, WI. He pursues a well-rounded approach to lessons, teaching many different styles of music while including music theory, music history, and music technology.

His students regularly earn top spots in the WSMA High School State Honors Band, Orchestra, and Percussion Ensemble, WSMA State Honors Jazz Band, WSMA Middle Level State Honors Band and Orchestra, UW-Milwaukee Youth Wind Ensemble (UWAY), Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO), and Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO). His students routinely go the Wisconsin State Solo & Ensemble Festivals and receive Exemplary Performance Recognition awards.

As a clinician, Erik has been a featured presenter at the WMEA State Music Teachers Conference, Wisconsin Youth Band Directors Association, Wisconsin Percussive Arts Society, and high schools and middle schools throughout Wisconsin.

Erik has been member of the band Ol’ Style Skratch since 2012. He has played clubs and festivals throughout Wisconsin, including the Wisconsin State Fair, Wisconsin Harley Davidson, Bastille Days, Brady Street Festival, Waukesha Blues Festival, North Star Casino, Mo’s Irish Pub (Downtown and Wauwatosa), Town and Country Days (Lake Mills), Riverfest (Watertown), RWB (Milwaukee), Music on Main (West Bend), Saloon on Calhoun, Bar Louie, Lakeside (Oconomowoc), Kelly’s Bleachers, Brock’s Riverwalk, Jefferson Summer Concert Series, Nixon Park (Hartland), Collin’s Deck Bar (West Bend), and Sprecher’s Brewery. He has performed live on FOX 6 Studio A and his music has been featured on 91.7 WSME, 88.9 Radio Milwaukee, and 94.1 WJJO-Madison.

Erik has been on the board on the Wisconsin Percussive Arts Society since 2014. The non-profit organization is dedicated to promoting percussion activities and percussion education throughout Wisconsin. He oversees the Wisconsin Day of Percussion, an annual one-day celebration of percussion activities in Wisconsin.

Erik is a member of the Percussive Arts Society and Wisconsin Music Educators Association. He is a WSMA Solo/Ensemble certified adjudicator. He is a 2018 Wisconsin Area Music Industry nominee for Drummer of the Year.

Erik is a 2006 graduate of The University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

Outside of his musical endeavors, he is an active runner. He also enjoys cooking, drinking black coffee, and spending time with his wife Rachael, son Freddie, and daughter Daphne.

When did you start playing? I was playing percussion in the school band at 11 years old. I started playing drum set a few years later.

What do you enjoy most about playing? I love the excitement and rush of performing live. Connecting with the audience on a deep and subconscious level is a wonderful experience. It’s truly addicting and makes me wake up every day wanting to play more.

What’s on your iPod? James Brown, The Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Oscar Peterson, Gary Burton, Art Pepper, and thousands more.

What advice would you give to young musicians? Listen to music. Go to concerts to see great musicians playing live. Hearing and seeing amazing performances will keep you inspired and striving to improve!

Look for the CD “Ol’ Style Skratch” on iTunes.