Eric Stanley (violinist)

{{Infobox person

| name = Eric Stanley

| image = Eric stanley twitter.jpg

| caption = Stanley at Twitter headquarters in 2017

| alt =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|4|19}}

| birth_place = Chesapeake, Virginia, U.S.

| known for = Co-founding Stay Inspired Capital

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Hedge fund manager
musician
programmer
entrepreneur

}}

| nationality =

| years_active = 2009–present

| relatives = {{unbulleted list|Anhayla Stanley (sister)|Marcus Stanley (brother)}}

| module = {{Infobox musical artist

| embed = yes

| instrument = Violin

| genre = {{Flat list|

}}

| label =

| associated_acts =

| website = {{URL|ericstanleystore.com}}

}}

| signature =

| alma mater = Virginia Commonwealth University{{cite web |last=Komp |first=Catherine |date= January 12, 2017 |url= http://ideastations.org/radio/news/music-heart-virginia-violinist-eric-stanley-captivates-and-inspires |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830005427/http://ideastations.org/radio/news/music-heart-virginia-violinist-eric-stanley-captivates-and-inspires |title= Virginia Violinist Eric Stanley Captivates and Inspires |publisher= PBS |website= ideastations.org |archive-date=August 30, 2018 |accessdate= June 25, 2023 |url-status=dead}}

}}

Eric Stanley (born April 19, 1991) is an American hedge fund manager, violinist, and entrepreneur.{{cite web |last=Reid |first=Daphne Maxwell |url= https://www.pbs.org/video/violinist-eric-stanley-shaquan-ian-lewis-mad-skillz-g9ounh/ |title= Virginia Currents / Violinist Eric Stanley |publisher= PBS |website= pbs.org |date= January 4, 2018 |accessdate= June 25, 2023}}{{cite interview |last= Martinez |first= Marc |title= Eric Stanley: Hip Hop Violinist |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_Vew6mIV5U |publisher= KSAZ-TV |location= Phoenix |date= October 3, 2010 |work= Fox 10 News |access-date= December 11, 2014 }}{{cite news |last= McNerthney |first= Casey |date= May 10, 2011 |title= Eminem sounds good on violin, thanks to Eric Stanley |url= http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2011/05/10/eminem-sounds-good-on-violin-thanks-to-eric-stanley/ |newspaper= Seattle Post-Intelligencer |location= Seattle, Washington |accessdate= January 9, 2015 |archive-date= January 9, 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150109225214/http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2011/05/10/eminem-sounds-good-on-violin-thanks-to-eric-stanley/ |url-status= dead }}{{cite web |url= https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/national/2022/07/28/look-out-for-people-pretending-to-play-violin-for-money-police-warn-of-major-scam |title=Look out for people pretending to play violin for money -- police warn of major scam |publisher= WDIV-TV |website= clickondetroit.com |date=July 28, 2022 |accessdate= June 25, 2023}} He is the founder of Stay Inspired, a media company.{{cite web |last=Reneau |first=Annie |url= https://www.upworthy.com/compilation-of-mr-rogers-lesser-known-shining-moments-is-a-masterclass-in-human-kindness |title= Compilation of Mr. Rogers' lesser-known shining moments is a masterclass in human kindness |publisher= Upworthy |website= upworthy.com |date= January 9, 2024 |accessdate= May 14, 2024}} Stanley is the co-founder of Stay Inspired Capital, a quantitative hedge fund. He and his fund are known to be quantitative investors, using trading algorithms and mathematical models to make investment gains from market inefficiencies.{{cite web|url=http://www.stayinspiredcapital.com/|title=Stay Inspired Capital |website=www.stayinspiredcapital.com|author=|date=|accessdate=June 25, 2023}}

He presents improvisational violin performances found on his YouTube channel, Estan247, which was created in 2009.{{cite web |last= Tietjen |first= Alexa |url= http://www.vh1.com/news/55236/fetty-wap-trap-queen-violin-freestyle |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151012045826/http://www.vh1.com/news/55236/fetty-wap-trap-queen-violin-freestyle/ |url-status= dead |archive-date= October 12, 2015 |title= Get Your Life From This Violin Freestyle Of Fetty Wap's "Trap Queen" |publisher= VH1 |website= vh1.com |accessdate= July 4, 2017}}{{cite web |url= https://www.youtube.com/user/estan247/about |title= About |website= youtube.com/user/estan247 |publisher= YouTube |accessdate= July 7, 2015}} In April 2015, Stanley made his national television debut on ESPN First Take and provided the theme song on violin.{{cite web |last= Erby |first= Glenn |url= http://blacksportsonline.com/home/2015/04/violinist-puts-classical-spin-on-first-take-theme-song-video/ |title= Violinist Puts Classical Spin On 'First Take' Theme Song |publisher= BonaFide Media |website= blacksportsonline.com |date= April 28, 2015 |accessdate= May 19, 2015}}{{cite web |last= Cherie |first= Ariel |url= http://theurbandaily.com/2015/05/15/eric-stanley-interview-drip-drop/ |title= You've Got To Hear This Young Violinist's... |publisher= Interactive One |website= theurbandaily.com |date= May 15, 2015 |accessdate= July 7, 2015}}

Early life

Stanley was born in Chesapeake, Virginia and comes from a family of musicians.{{cite interview |last= McQuade |first= Greg |subject-link= |interviewer= |title= Eric Stanley Interview |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksYrWGivy5A |publisher= WTVR-TV |location= Richmond |date= March 1, 2011 |work= CBS 6 News |access-date= December 9, 2014 }} He has an older brother named Marcus (born 1985), who is a pianist, and an older sister, Anhayla (born 1988), a singer. He attended Short Pump Middle School in Richmond, Virginia. With the encouragement of his teachers, Stanley began playing the violin at age 12.{{cite news |last= Hankerson |first= Mechelle |date= November 4, 2010|title= Youtube sensation champions hip-hop violin |url= http://www.commonwealthtimes.org/2010/11/04/youtube-sensation-champions-hip-hop-violin/ |newspaper= The Commonwealth Times |location= Richmond, VA |accessdate= December 14, 2014}}{{cite interview |last= Miller |first= Cheryl |subject-link= |interviewer= |title= Eric Stanley Performance |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uaB9HAv6lU |publisher= WTVR-TV |location= Richmond |date= March 1, 2011 |work= CBS 6 News |access-date= January 12, 2014 }} When he entered high school, Stanley joined the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra.

Career

=Music=

In 2009, at the age of 18, Stanley began posting videos on Internet websites YouTube, WorldStarHipHop, and PerezHilton.com.{{cite AV media|url=http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh3NEeQSti5Ulm12Nj | date=July 7, 2010 |people=Eric Stanley (performer) |medium=Shockwave Flash video |publisher=WorldStarHipHop |title=Eric Stanley – Eminem Ft. Rihanna "Love The Way You Lie" Violin Cover |accessdate=January 9, 2015 }}{{cite AV media |people=Eric Stanley (performer) |medium=unspecified video format |url=http://perezhilton.com/tag/eric_stanley/#.VLBvNSeNU7A |title=This Rad Guy Fiddles With Stereo Hearts By Gym Class Heroes! |date=December 2, 2011 |publisher=PerezHilton.com |accessdate=January 9, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110054747/http://perezhilton.com/tag/eric_stanley/#.VLBvNSeNU7A |archive-date=January 10, 2015 |url-status=dead }} Stanley has experimented in combining improvisational violin playing with hip hop, pop, and classical. One of his first videos was a violin cover of Say Ahh by R&B artist Trey Songz. Other songs included Love the Way You Lie and Airplanes. During 2011 Stanley released The Eric Stanley Project, a mixtape. In 2011, he became a "viral sensation" and performed as the opening act for rapper B.o.B.{{cite news |last=Curry |first=Lashonda Stinson |date=February 24, 2011 |title=Grammy-nominated artist B.o.B brings hits to O'Dome |url=http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110224/articles/110229683?p=3&tc=pg |newspaper=The Gainesville Sun |location= Gainesville, FL |accessdate= January 13, 2015 }} In 2011, Stanley performed for President Bill Clinton in Orlando, Florida.{{cite web |last= Masie Learning Talks |url=http://vimeo.com/67573788 |title= Eric Stanley: Opening for President Bill Clinton |date= June 3, 2013 |accessdate= January 9, 2015}} He attended Virginia Commonwealth University, graduating in 2014.{{cite web |url= https://interdisciplinarystudies.vcu.edu/2016/02/29/bachelor-of-interdisciplinary-studies-student-profile-eric-stanley/ |title= Virginia Commonwealth University: Eric Stanley |website= vcu.edu |accessdate= July 3, 2017}}

Following Stanley's performance on ESPN First Take, he announced the release of his debut EP Eric Stanley.

In September 2016, he produced the soundtrack at New York Fashion Week for a presentation of the KLS collection by Kimora Lee Simmons.{{cite news |last= Moody |first= Nekesa |date= September 15, 2016 |title= NY Fashion Week: Lauren, Kors, Simmons, Marchesa |url=https://apnews.com/1857275aa103451db846f1c34c0837e4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180918230808/https://apnews.com/1857275aa103451db846f1c34c0837e4 |newspaper= Associated Press |location= New York, New York |archive-date=September 18, 2018 |accessdate= June 25, 2023 |url-status=dead}}

=Investment=

In 2019, Stanley co-founded Stay inspired Capital with Daniel D. in Charleston, South Carolina. The firm uses mathematical models and algorithms within the equities markets.

=Philanthropy=

Stanley has visited more than 200 K–12 schools across the United States to "help young students stay inspired."{{cite web |url=https://www.vpm.org/listen/2019-11-19/in-your-ear-episode-66-eric-stanley-and-friends |title= In Your Ear Episode 66: Eric Stanley & Friends |publisher= VPM |website= vpm.org |date= November 19, 2019 |accessdate= June 25, 2023}}{{cite interview |last= Lore |first= Diane |title= Violinist Eric Stanley inspires PS 78 students |url= http://www.silive.com/news/2017/04/violinist_eric_stanley_inspire.html |publisher= Staten Island Advance |location= Staten Island, NY |date= April 19, 2017 |website= silive.com |access-date= July 4, 2017 }}{{cite interview |last= Caldwell |first= Jasmin |title= Virginia violinist visits Charlottesville schools to encourage the youth |url= http://www.newsplex.com/content/news/Virginia-violinist-visits-Charlottesville-schools-to-encourage-the-youth--412007235.html |publisher= CBS |location= Charlottesville, VA |date= January 27, 2017 |work= |access-date= July 4, 2017 }} In April 2017, he worked with Newark Public Schools to raise $2,424 to purchase 20 violins for the students.{{cite interview |last= |first= |title= Acclaimed millennial violinist Eric Stanley visits BRICK Avon Academy's young musicians |url= http://brickcitylive.com/education/bclstaff/acclaimed-millennial-violinist-eric-stanley-visits-brick-avon-academys-young-musicians/ |publisher= Brick City Live |location= Newark, NJ |date= April 21, 2017 |work= |access-date= July 4, 2017 }}{{cite interview |last= Moriarty |first= Katey |title= Viral violinist visits students at BRICK Avon Academy in Newark |url= http://www.fios1news.com/newjersey/viral-violinist-visits-brick-avon-academy-newark#.WVwEL9PyuRs |publisher= Fios 1 News |location= Newark, NJ |date= April 18, 2017 |work= |access-date= July 4, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171107055131/http://www.fios1news.com/newjersey/viral-violinist-visits-brick-avon-academy-newark#.WVwEL9PyuRs |archive-date= November 7, 2017 |url-status= dead }}

On July 20, 2017, Stanley joined Usher's New Look for the Disruptive Innovation Summit in Atlanta. The non-profit organization presented the event in SunTrust Park. Usher's mission was "to have a creative gathering of forward thinking youth leaders."{{cite web |last= |first= |date= July 21, 2017 |url=https://ushersnewlook.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Disruptivator-Recap-Booklet_RGB-1.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107003646/https://ushersnewlook.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Disruptivator-Recap-Booklet_RGB-1.pdf |title= Disruptive Innovation Summit |publisher= Usher's New Look |website= ushersnewlook.org |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |accessdate=June 25, 2023 |url-status=dead }}