While completing a bachelor's degree in theatre performance, Ryan studied piano under Polish concert pianist Jerzy Stryjniak and composition briefly under Jakub Polacyk, a student of Krysztof Penderecki. Ryan has performed at venues across the city such as Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall, and the Liederkranz Foundation.
After completing his studies, Ryan's interests shifted from acting to his passions for concert composition and piano. Ryan found work as a musician for ballet classes and would rapidly ascend to becoming a pianist for world-renowned companies such as New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey, and schools such as The Juilliard School and School of American Ballet.Â
In recent years, Ryan's work has started to become sought after by filmmakers. Ryan has composed for several short films that have premiered at international film festivals, commissioned to create the scores for one long-form and one feature-length film, and has been approached to start work on his first video game score.
In 2024, Ryan decided he was ready to start presenting his compositions and began submitting his concert work to be shared with conductors and ensembles. Ryan is eager to embark on this initial stage of presenting his concert work.
Inspiration
Listening to adept church musicians as a small child opened the door to an expedition into classical music that would last a lifetime. Theatre cultivated a sense of drama and storytelling in Ryan's music. Fantastical film and video game scores, as well as immersive travel experience, fostered further adventure into other genres of music both tied to the composer's heritages and from cultures around the world.
Ryan makes regular trips to a mountain monastery in the Catskills where he finds more depth in the notion that the most important skill in playing and composing music is listening.
Recent projects
Ryan continues his collaborations with numerous dance groups around New York City and has recently joined Overland Media's Overland Collective as in-house composer. Ryan is also colloborating with Matterhorn Films to create the score for The Writer, set to premier in late 2026. Ryan also recently received an honorable mention in the 2024 International Respighi Prize in composition for his Serenade for Strings.
Ryan is set to release a number of studio recordings of his compositions for streaming platforms this year inspired by the philosophy that his music should be readily available for his friends, family, and community to hear.