Mr. Brucker is a professional Double Bassist in the Sacramento Valley. He currently is Principal Double Bass for The Folsom Symphony and The Auburn Symphony.  During his performance career, he has held the Principal Double Bass position of the Merced Symphony, Camellia Symphony Orchestra, and The UC Davis Symphony Orchestra, has held section positions in the Apollo and Solano Symphonies, and has performed with many chamber groups around the Sacramento Valley and Foothills.

Outside the world of symphonic performance and direction, Mr. Brucker spent 5 years studying and performing baroque music with the UC Davis Baroque Ensemble under baroque violin master Michael Sand and harpsichordist Phebe Craig, and 5 years studying and performing avant-garde and improvisatory jazz with saxophone great John Tchicai. In 2010, he also performed with avant-garde folk recording artist Jandek, and has joined many local jazz and rock musicians in different groups over the last 15 years.

Mr. Brucker has also spent much time as a community activist working to support community efforts to continue the vast public educational opportunities Davis residents have grown to know and love, and in doing so, has helped to keep the schools’ music programs funded despite complicated and strained budgetary times. Most recently in 2012, he served as a Committee Member of the Yes on Measure C and Yes on Measure E Campaigns, helping to pass renewals of Parcel Taxes previously enacted to help support many educational programs in the schools. As a Davis Teachers’ Association Site Representative since 2011, he helped bridge the campaigns with the DTA Representative Council, working to encourage district wide teacher involvement and action. In April 2012, Mr. Brucker received recognition as a “Forward Thinker” by the organization California Forward for his efforts in advocacy for the arts in education. Mr. Brucker and his wife, Laura, currently reside in Davis, California.

Greg Brucker earned his BA in Music in 2001 from UC Davis, having studied conducting under U. C. Davis Symphony Conductor D. Kern Holoman and Double Bass with Thomas Derthick. In 2007, Mr. Brucker earned an MA in Education and a California Teaching Credential through the University of Phoenix. Currently, Mr. Brucker is the Director of the Emerson-Da Vinci and Harper Junior High Orchestras in Davis, California, where he has taught since 2004. In 2013, the Emerson-Harper Combined Advanced Orchestra was selected to participate in the California Music Educators Association’s (CMEA) First Annual “All State Orchestra and Band Festival,” a statewide top honor for bands and orchestras. As well, under his direction in 2010, the Davis Combined Jr. High Advanced Orchestra was invited to perform at the American String Teacher’s Association’s National Orchestra Festival, a national honor.

From 2007-2009, Mr. Brucker co-taught the Davis High School Orchestra Program. Outside of Davis, Mr. Brucker is the Director of the Vivace Strings and Prelude Strings Orchestras of the Sacramento Youth Symphony and Academy of Music. In 2012, Mr. Brucker was hired to direct the Junior Orchestra of the Pacific Music Camp and was chosen to be the 2012-2013 CMEA Capitol Section Honors Orchestra Director for the Middle School Orchestra. In 2013, Mr. Brucker was elected to be the Orchestra Representative for the CMEA Capitol Section Board and received the Hal Reid Faculty award as one of two recipients chosen the Emerson Jr. High School PTA, faculty, and community.

When not directing orchestras, Mr. Brucker runs the Five Below Double Bass Studio, teaching a range of dedicated students from the greater Sacramento Valley area, most of whom are musicians involved with the Davis Secondary Schools Orchestra Program and the Sacramento Youth Symphony Academy of Music. For seven of the past eight years, several of his private studio students have auditioned into and participated in the California Honors and All State Orchestras, performing with the best student musicians California has to offer, including a student who was named Principal Double Bass for the All State Orchestra in 2010 and 2011. Three students, one ninth grader and two tenth graders, were accepted in to the 2013 All State Orchestra. Former students have moved on to study the double bass at The Shenandoah College Conservatory, University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music, the Cal Poly SLO School of Music, the Sacramento State School of Music, and several other universities across the country.