Gregory Woodbridge began conducting at the age of ten, standing in front of the TV waving his arms to the theme song from Dallas. The Looney Tunes provided further music education and an expansive knowledge of the classical repertoire he fell in love with. Now in his third season at the helm of the Hershey Symphony, Woodbridge continues to inspire impassioned performances from orchestras at all levels, student through professional, and has been praised for his exceptional musicianship and artistry on the podium.
Maestro Woodbridge began studying piano at the age of seven and violin at the age of nine. He holds degrees from Penn State University and furthered his conducting studies with Michael Jinbo (the Pierre Monteux Conducting Institute in Maine); Leonid Korchmar (Kirov Opera and St. Petersburg Conservatory); Ennio Nicotra (founder of the Ilya Musin Society); and Gustav Meier and JoAnn Falletta at the Conductor’s Institute Richmond Symphony Masterclass.
Woodbridge was previously Music Director and Conductor of the Central PA Youth Orchestra, the Wednesday Club Youth Orchestra, the Central Pennsylvania Symphony and the York Youth Symphony Orchestra. He is in his thirteenth season as Associate Conductor of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra has led them on their Masterworks and Pops Series. He is also Music Director/Conductor of the Harrisburg Symphony Youth Orchestra (HSYO), and has added the role of Director of Education to the ways he brings symphonic music to new audiences.
Woodbridge’s versatility conducting classical and pops has allowed for successful collaborations with soloists such as Michael Cavanaugh (Billy Joel’s Movin’ Out), LaKisha Jones (American Idol finalist), Chester Gregory (Broadway), Stuart Malina, Carol Jantsch (Philadelphia Orchestra), and Julius Thomas III (Hamilton).
Maestro Woodbridge lives in Mechanicsburg, PA with his wife and their two children.