Get to know the members of the Salem Symphonic Winds through this series of mini-interviews! Don’t miss hearing all of the Salem Symphonic Winds musicians perform April 13, 2025 at 4:00pm during our world premiere of The Princess and the Wind.

George Nix

George plays the trombone and has been with playing with Salem Symphonic Winds since January 2023.

George and his wife moved from Southern California to the Salem area in 2020 to get a little closer to their adult children. His career has been in sales, marketing, and development, and he also pastored a church in the Los Angeles area for a number of years. Since college, George has continued to play in local bands and ensembles, and has directed several choral and instrumental groups.

What do you enjoy the most about playing?

My favorite part about playing is working with other musicians and combining our talents to create a unique experience for our audiences. I love the challenging pieces that we perform that continue to stretch my playing ability.

Do you have a favorite musical memory?

One of my favorite memories was an opportunity to play with my college jazz band and open a well-known jazz festival at the Hollywood Bowl.

Share a fun fact about yourself

I am a twin and when my brother and I were first introduced to band instruments in 4th grade, my brother wanted to play drums and I wanted to play trumpet. My mom had a girlfriend who played trombone professionally and she showed us some basics of how to get a sound out of the horn. Somehow, we both ended up playing trombone. I still wonder if my parents were trying to steer my brother away from a drum set. I ended up teaching myself basic trumpet in middle school.