Eric Vaarzon Morel (1961) was only sixteen when he studied under Paco Peña at the 7th Rencontre de la guitare in France. At nineteen, inspired by this event he left home for Spain where he lived and worked for two years. In the 80’s he travelled through Europe with the Swiss group Flamencos en route. Playing his own flamenco compositions he has toured annually with his back up group Chanela. As a regular member of the Cuadro Flamenco he was heard for six years in theatres and on concert platforms all over Holland. For years now Eric has been integrating Western music and flamenco into 'flamenco de hoy' (today's flamenco). The last few years he has performed in a wide variety of productions, played with classical, jazz and pop musicians, and familiarized himself with all the facets of world music. Eric's music is no longer solely flamenco!

Theatre
In 1999 Eric composed and performed the music for Toneelschuur Haarlem's production of De Ongelukkige (The Unhappy One) written by Abdelkader Benali and based on Louis Couperus' novel of the same name about the last Moorish king, Boabdil.

(Vrij Nederland, 2 January, 1999) 'East meets West, the intermingling of cultures, this is all in the old story but also in the new one written by Abdelkader Benali. My music is also a blend of classical, flamenco and western music, with a modern touch here and there.'

(NRC Handelsblad, 5 January, 1999) 'Guitarist Eric Vaarzon Morel's flamenco, a Spanish genre with Arabic roots, is the pivot on which the production rests. Vaarzon Morel has reinforced and supplemented the Arabic element with Turkish and Indian influences. This magnificent music carries the whole. Vaarzon Morel switches effortlessly from fiery, impassioned emotions to melancholy. One moment he scarcely touches the strings, the next he thumps the guitar as if it were a percussion instrument.' (….)…, although musically it remains a fabulously beautiful performance.'

The programme Turkish soefi and flamenco was an encounter between Eastern mysticism and Andalusian realism. Combinations of stringed instruments like the kanun with the guitar, rhythmic improvisations on the caja and küdum with the mystical melody of the ney. At the invitation of the Kulsan Foundation Eric played this programme with Tahir Aydogdu and others on major concert platforms in the Netherlands and Istanbul.

In the 1999 - 2002 seasons Eric is the special guest of Flairck. Flairck's Symphony of the Old World, Circus Jeroen Bosch and as from September 2002 Flairck's new programme commemorating the 4th centenary of the United East India Company, the VOC.

In March 2002 Eric presents the programme Sol y Sombra (named for his new CD) in various concert halls. Click the concert list.

Abroad
Abroad Eric has given solo concerts at festivals in Germany (Flamenco Festival '95 Potsdam) and Iceland (International Guitar Festival). He toured Austria, Switzerland and Italy with Flamencos en route. Together with Jan Akkerman, Eric toured the Dutch West Indies with the Five Great Guitars. In Turkey he presented the programme Soefi and Flamenco.