Erich Graf is the former principal flutist of the Utah Symphony. His teachers included Nelson Hauenstein at the University of Michigan, Jean Pierre Rampal at the Académie Internationale in Nice, France, and Julius Baker at the Juilliard School. Previous to the Utah Symphony, Graf performed with the New York Philharmonic, the New Jersey Symphony, and the Royal Ballet Orchestra, among others.
Graf has appeared as soloist with the Utah Symphony, the Ann Arbor Symphony, various Utah ensembles (also as conductor), and with the Arkansas Symphony under Robert Henderson. Mr. Graf has performed and recorded for many years with keyboard collaborator Ricklen Nobis. He has performed chamber music with Columbia University's Group for Contemporary Music, the Guarneri String Quartet and the Aeolian Chamber Players. He has performed at Avery Fischer Hall (Geffen) and Carnegie Hall with Julius Baker and Jean Pierre Rampal and in Utah with James Galway. Graf has coached and given master classes in Arkansas, California, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma and Utah. Graf's past academic affiliations have included Bowdoin College, CW Post College, University of Utah and Brigham Young University. Graf's outside interests include physical fitness, cooking, and writing. Mr. Graf is a published writer and served as President of Local 104, American Federation of Musicians from 1993-2010.
A live recital by Graf and Nobis, taped by KUED Channel 7 in Salt Lake City was aired on PBS. Mr. Graf has also expanded his musical surroundings into the "New Age" by being one of the first classical musicians ever to produce a music video. This program, originally in VHS format, was designed to bring to life the music on his first CD in a visual and documentary style using the natural beauty of Utah’s National Parks and their environs
Mr. Graf's discography (on the Aeolus label) include a music video and 3 CDs featuring the works of Bach, Berio, Gaubert, Roussel, Prokofiev, Nobis, Borne, Varèse, Debussy, Poulenc, Czerny, Previn, Karg-Elert, Casadesus, Busoni, and Gieseking. The CDs are available for physical purchase or electronic download at CD Baby, Flute World, Orchard and numerous other internet sites. For more information,
click here. Mr. Graf plays a 14k gold flute manufactured by the Verne Q. Powell Flute Company in 1950. After leaving the Utah Symphony, he relocated to Virginia and occupies a residence on Chesapeake Bay beach.
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