Eric Klay retired as Principal Bass Trombone of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, in 2013 after nearly 37 years. He performed Wagner's Ring Cycle on the contrabass trombone with Orchestra Victoria and stayed on contract until 2015. As a casual musician he takes great pleasure in performing a wide variety of works and styles for many of Melbourne’s arts organizations. From 1979 to 1991, Eric was a member of the Melbourne Brass Ensemble, which produced four recordings, two of which were all Australian music. They performed many live broadcasts for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and undertook numerous tours for Musica Viva, Australia's premier chamber music provider. Eric was invited to give Master Classes and a recital at the 1995 International Trombone Symposium held at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In 1996, Eric toured as soloist with the Queensland Symphonic Winds to Singapore and Hong Kong, performing Concerto for Bass Trombone written for him by Paul Sarcich. He then released his CD WindSong on the Move label, to worldwide critical acclaim. Eric won the Elton John Award in 2002 and undertook a period of study with Charles Vernon and Michael Mulcahy in Chicago. In 2011, he was invited as a guest artist to the Third International Trombone and Tuba Conference at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. Eric performs all styles of music, having backed Sammy Davis Jnr, Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Debbie Reynolds, Bob Hope, Nelson Riddle/Linda Rondstadt, Elton John, Debra Byrne, John Farnham and Meat Loaf on their Australian tours. He has also played on countless jingles, recording sessions and soundtracks for iconic Australian movies such as The Man From Snowy River I and II, Mad Max II, Babe, Babe - Pig in the City, Crocodile Dundee I and II, Lantana, The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith and Beneath Hill 60. Meeting a need for his students, Eric published Daily Exercises for Bb/F Trombone, now a standard text for serious students' worldwide and in it’s fourth print run. "I just want to say thank you for your fantastic book 'Daily Exercises [for Bb/ F Trombone]'. I have been using it every day for 6 years and it's one of the reasons I'm in the Berlin Phil today." Jesper Busk Sørensen, 2nd Trombone, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2004, the Australian Music Examination Board (AMEB) invited Eric to be the Consultative Editor on the following publications: • Orchestral Brass Series 1 Trombone Grades 1 to 4 • Orchestral Brass Series 1 Euphonium Grades 1 to 4 • Trombone, Tuba and Euphonium Technical Work Book. In 2008, Eric in conjunction with Michael Mulcahy of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra released Full Circle, a collection of works for trombone by noted Australian composers. These include world premiere recordings of Sonata for Three Trombones and Two Percussion by Richard Mills, Trombone Quartet by Barry McKimm and At A Loss by Stuart Campbell. In 2011, Eric was invited to the Third International Trombone and Tuba Festival at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China where he taught Master Classes, gave a recital and conducted the trombone choir. Actively involved in community music through teaching, conducting and arranging, Eric has been tutoring at the Harrietville Music Camp since 1999