Principal horn Eric W.Y. Kop began his career with the Royal Hawaiian Band in 1988 at age 21. He is currently the Band's Principal Horn and also performs regularly with the Hawai‘i Symphony as also the Principal Horn for the Hawai‘i Pops Orchestra.

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As a freelance musician, Eric has backed legendary performers such as Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, Burt Bacharach, Charlotte Church, and Luciano Pavorotti and was a member of the Matt Catingub Orchestra of Hawai‘i. Equally active in the theater orchestra pit, his career has included many local productions as well as a 3 month engagement as the solo horn for the national tour of Disney's "Lion King" the Musical.

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A firm supporter of music education in Hawai‘i, Eric has held previous teaching positions as the instructor of Horn for the University of Hawai‘i, the Hawaii Youth Symphony's Pacific Music Institute, Mid-Pacific Institute, as well his own private instruction horn studio.

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Eric has also held the position as the band's Drum Major since 2010, and can be seen leading the RHB in many of Oahu's major parades.