A native of Colusa, CA, George Hayes began his violin studies at 4 years old with Ingrid Gaston in Yuba City, and later continued his studies at CSU Sacramento with Bill Barbini and Ian Swenson. Hayes is currently Concertmaster for Townsend Opera, and he has served as Concertmaster for Fresno Grand Opera and Principal Second Violin for the Camellia Symphony, Folsom Lake Symphony, and North State Symphony. He is a member of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, One Found Sound, and also performs regularly with Modesto symphony, Monterey Symphony, Oakland Symphony, and many other ensembles across Northern California. As a chamber musician Hayes has played with the Chamber Music Society of Sacramento, on the Fort Bragg Center For The Arts Chamber Music Series, and in the Eisenstadt Music Festival in Austria, among others.

Hayes maintains a private teaching studio in San Francisco and is a coach at the Sacramento Youth Symphony Summer Chamber Music Workshop.