Greg Luscombe has been the principal trombonist of the Memphis Symphony since 1989. He also has a low brass studio and is a musician contractor and freelancer. With the Memphis Symphony Greg has been the soloist on both various Masterworks Series Concerts and well as Pops Series Concerts. His most recent solo appearance with the MSO was Oct. 2019 where he performed the Shilkret Trombone Concerto. In the past he has been the orchestras personnel manager and served on a variety of orchestra committees. Greg was the low brass teacher at the University of Mississippi(2005-2012) and he has served on the faculties at the University of Memphis, Union University, Murray State University and Southwest Tn. Community College.
A native of the Chicago, Illinois area Greg lived in the Cleveland, Ohio area for seven years prior to joining the Memphis Symphony. While in Cleveland he was a member of the Ohio Chamber Orchestra (the former orchestra for the Cleveland Ballet and the Cleveland Opera). He also was the principal trombonist for the Canton Symphony Orchestra for five seasons. While in the Cleveland area Greg was also involved performing in a wide variety of styles and genres outside the orchestra world which included jingles, theatre productions, big band jobs and work with the Blossom Festival Concert Band on Euphonium.
Greg performs on occasions with other orchestras which has included the Chicago Symphony, The Cleveland Orchestra, The Saint Louis Symphony, The Chicago Sinfonietta, The Mississippi Symphony, The Mexico City Philharmonic, The Jackson Symphony, the Iris Orchestra and the South Arkansas Symphony. He has recorded with various orchestras including recording City Noir by John Adams with the Saint Louis Symphony, Ameriques on Contrabass Trombone with the Cleveland Orchestra, Brahms 2nd Symphony and Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 as sub principal with the Mexico City Philharmonic as well as offstage parts on recordings with the Cleveland Orchestra (Alpine Symphony, Strauss) and Pines of Rome (Resphigi) for the Fantasia Film with the Chicago Symphony.
Greg has studied with Jay Friedman (Chicago Symphony), Per Brevig (formerly Metropolitan Orchestra New York), Ed Zadrosny (Univ. of Akron), Art Sares (former NBC staff trombonist, studio and freelance musician in Chicago) and Dee Stewart (Indiana University, Philadelphia Orchestra). He also credits his father Fred Luscombe who was as an active professional trombonist and teacher. Greg has a M.M. degree from the Univ. of Akron and a BS (bus adm.) from Elmhurst University. He has also done graduate study at Indiana University, North Texas State University and the University of Memphis.
Greg’s outside interests include participating in competitive swimming and running road races as time permits. He is married to Beth Luscombe (violist with the Memphis Symphony). They have two daughters, a son-in-law and a granddaughter. Greg and Beth are members of St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Bartlett, Tn.
