Eric Thompson recently retired from the Mt. Diablo School District, where he taught instrumental and vocal music for the past 14 years. Mr. Thompson attended Los Medanos College, Cal State Northridge and Cal State East Bay, where he graduated with a BA in music performance. Besides his teaching, Eric has had a busy schedule as a professional drummer/percussionist, having performed with jazz artists such as Marian McPartland, Mike Vax and TRPTS, Richie Cole, as well as the Full Faith and Credit Big Band and the Studio Six Band featuring the music of Don Piestrup. He has performed with the San Francisco, Oakland/East Bay, Marin, Sacramento and California Symphonies. He was part of the touring company of Miss Saigon, and also performed in shows such as Les Miserables, Man of La Mancha, Grease and numerous others in San Francisco. He still performs extensively around the Bay Area.