Greg Byers uses his talents as a performer, composer, educator and producer to share the wisdom and beauty of great music with people of all backgrounds. He started playing cello at The Family Suzuki School of Rochester, NY at age 2.5. By age sixteen, he was a talented cellist, but was frustrated with the lack of personal expression he found in youth orchestras. This led him to explore the possibilities of the cello in a jazz context. After beginning the undergraduate program at University of Miami, Greg wanted to officially switch his major to Studio Music & Jazz, which was initially denied because he was a cellist.
Shelly Berg, the current Dean of the Frost School of Music, took over in 2007 and saw Greg’s perseverance. In the end Greg became the first person to double major in Instrumental Performance/Studio Music & Jazz on cello and bass, Summa Cum Laude. In 2010 he appeared in The Weird World of Blowfly, a documentary about the aging Clarence Reid; this included footage from several tours in Europe where Greg
played bass guitar for more than 15,000 people. After working in the Miami music scene, Greg decided to explore opportunities in Los Angeles. LA taught the importance of viewing music from the perspective of not only the performer, but also the composer, music engineer, and business person, so he applied these skills to his debut EP „Some Dark, Beautiful Morning”. Greg then decided to continue his higher learning
at McNally Smith College of Music in Saint Paul, where he graduated a Master of Music Performance. Greg maintains a busy schedule; juggling original and freelance performances, a private cello/bass studio and recording & production services.