MEET THE ORCHESTRA

Gregory Wood is Assistant Principal Cellist of Symphoria, and was Acting Principal Cellist for the 2014-2015 Season. He was Assistant Principal Cellist of the SSO since 1978. Greg was also a member of the Rochester Chamber Orchestra and he has recently performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Fingerlakes Opera in Geneseo. He was Principal Cellist of Pro Musica of Cincinnati, and performed in the cello section of the Cincinnati Symphony and the Aspen Festival Orchestra. He is adjunct instructor of violoncello and coaches chamber music at the Setnor School of Music at Syracuse University, where he has performed numerous solo and chamber music recitals. In addition to SU, he is also adjunct instructor of violoncello at Onondaga Community College. Greg received his Bachelor of Music Degree in performance at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, studying with Lynn Harrell, Jack Kirstein, and Zara Nelsova, including chamber music coaching from the LaSalle Quartet. He also earned his Master of Science Degree in Counseling and Psychology from SUNY Oswego, and a Master of Music Education Degree from Syracuse University. Greg also has a private cello studio and has had two of his former students win the SSO/CMM concerto competition (Lucas Button) and the Symphoria/CMM concerto competition (Brian Gadbow). He appreciates the opportunities which Symphoria offers to young students, and what Symphoria offers to the community, especially the variety of series and programming, and the Healing Harmonies program, which he has participated in.

Greg has performed in many chamber music recitals including the Jewell Trio, the Southwick Trio, Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music, Skaneateles Festival, Society for New Music, and Civic Morning Musicals. He has also performed as soloist with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, Syracuse University Orchestra, Cincinnati Pro Musica, the Onondaga Civic Symphony, and the CCM Concert Orchestra as winner of the concerto competition. Greg was given the 2006 Excellence in Chamber Music Performance award from CMM.

Greg was born and raised in Port Washington, Long Island, NY. His first instrument was the piano at age 5, with his mom as his teacher and musical inspiration. He studied both the piano and cello until the age of 12. Greg was in the Wood String Quartet with his 3 brothers. He has performed on acoustic cello with his brother, Mark, in the Trans-Siberian orchestra on Good Morning America and in Syracuse, as well as in area schools playing his six string electric cello in Mark’s Electrify your Strings programs. Greg also has continued his Dad’s tradition of water color painting, stained glass windows, and mosaics. He is also a marathon runner who started in 2010, as a charity runner for the American Cancer Society, running the Philadelphia Marathon. Since then, he has run the Empire State Marathon in Syracuse, and the Hartford Marathon. Greg lives in Camillus with his wife, son, and daughter.