Eric L. Copeland II is an accomplished vocalist, educator, and scholar whose career bridges the world of higher education and the professional music industry. Born and raised in Kansas City, Kansas, Eric is a proud product of the USD 500 school district. He graduated from F.L. Schlagle High School, where his early passion for music was nurtured by public school educators who introduced him to the transformative power of the arts. These foundational experiences ignited a journey of artistic discovery and academic pursuit that continues to shape his career.
Copeland earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. While at Fisk, he was a featured member of the Grammy Award-winning Fisk Jubilee Singers, a historic ensemble known for preserving the legacy of Negro spirituals and Black American sacred music. Through this role, he performed at major venues including Carnegie Hall, the White House, the Grand Ole Opry, and the Ryman Auditorium. These formative opportunities deepened his sense of cultural responsibility and artistic purpose.
He went on to receive his Master of Music in Vocal Performance from California State University, Northridge, where he refined his vocal technique, interpretative range, and pedagogical approach. His graduate studies allowed him to bridge classical training with contemporary performance, laying the groundwork for his career as both an artist and educator.
Eric is a dedicated faculty member at Musicians Institute and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) College of the Performing Arts in Los Angeles. His work in higher education encompasses private voice instruction, vocal performance, and artist development, with a teaching philosophy rooted in vocal health, artistic authenticity, and practical preparation. He has a reputation for cultivating supportive and dynamic learning environments that empower students to grow as artists and individuals. In addition to his academic and educational work, Copeland has built a thriving career in the commercial music industry under the artist names Eric Lyn and ELYN. He appeared as a Top 32 contestant on NBC’s The Voice (Team Jennifer Hudson) and has since worked as a session and background vocalist for major artists including Snoh Aalegra, SYD, Cordae, Miley Cyrus, John Legend, JMSN, and Fuji Kaze. His work spans television, studio recordings, international tours, and film, including his original song “Deep For You,” featured on the B-Boy Blues soundtrack.
Eric is also a proud member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity of America, Incorporated, an organization that uplifts musicians who serve as cultural leaders in the fields of performance, scholarship, and education. He is a member of SAG-AFTRA and The Recording Academy, two of the most respected institutions representing professionals in the music, film, and entertainment industries. These affiliations reflect both his commitment to artistic excellence and his active contribution to the broader creative community.
Through every role he embodies, educator, performer, mentor, and advocate, Eric credits his success to the transformative power of education. From the public school classrooms of Kansas City to national stages and recording studios, he remains devoted to uplifting the next generation of artists while continuing to evolve in his own creative practice.
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