Gregory Ozment grew up in Hayward, CA, where he first started music by learning the piano in private teaching and violin at his elementary school. Violin was his main instrument until high school, where he was also introduced to playing percussion in the wind bands, marching band, and drumline. Greg began studying percussion at Chabot College under Arthur Storch and transferred to Orange County, where he completed his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Irvine under Theresa Dimond, and his master’s degree in music performance from California State University, Fullerton under Rob Slack. In addition, Greg participated in the Ted Atkatz Percussion Seminar (TAPS), an intensive seminar to better prepare percussionists for auditions. Apart from being an active performer and instructor, he’s also a member of the Percussive Arts Society, American Federation of Musicians (Local No. 7), and the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Greg has been an active performer since 2011, currently being the principal percussionist for the Southern California Philharmonic in Corona Del Mar, CA, as well as an occasional percussionist with the La Mirada Symphony, Palos Verdes Regional Symphony Orchestra, Dana Point Symphony, Whittier Regional Symphony Orchestra (formerly Rio Hondo Symphony), and the Huntington Beach Symphony Orchestra. As a church musician, he serves as a musician and vocalist at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Tustin, formerly being an occasional musician and singer at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Irvine, as well a frequent drummer/guitarist/backup singer/bassist/occasional worship leader, for Lighthouse Presbyterian Church in Westminster. He’s also had previous experience playing in musical theatre, playing for shows like Hairspray and Dr. Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical. When he’s not performing or rehearsing with various ensembles, Greg spends his time in his personal studio in Irvine where he records content for his Youtube channel, ranging from singing praise and worship to showcasing percussion performances to also presenting educational videos on how to play certain instruments.
When he’s not performing, Greg keeps himself busy with his teaching schedule by teaching private lessons from his home in Tustin. As of this updated bio, Greg has been doing mostly in-person teaching with little online teaching. Apart from teaching his students in Orange County, Greg’s clientele has expanded to where he teaches private lessons students throughout California, from San Diego to the Bay Area via Zoom. Alongside private teaching, he is currently on faculty at Santiago Canyon College and Santa Ana College as an Older Adults Music & Appreciation Instructor and North Orange Community College District as a music instructor for the districts LEAP Program, catering towards teaching to older adults. He has previously taught at Azusa Pacific University (summers only) as the Upward Bound Ukulele Instructor, Neal Music Instruction in Anaheim as a private multi-instrumental teacher (drums, percussion, violin, guitar, ukulele, and bass), the Beauty of Music in Lake Forest, La Serna High School in Whittier, Saturday Conservatory of Music in San Gabriel, WePlay Music in Irvine, Suzanne Middle School in Walnut, IvyCrest Montessori in Fullerton, and Music & Arts in San Dimas and Mission Viejo. Greg has also held masterclasses in percussion and drums throughout Orange and Los Angeles County. Many of Greg’s private students went on to earn 1st chair positions in their respective schools, break barriers by earning spots in their local county’s honor bands, and going on to study music in college. His La Serna percussion students in 2020 were voted by the district as the strongest percussion section amongst the rest of the high school county.
Greg currently resides in Tustin, CA, with his wife, Frederika.