For the past twenty years Bill Ryan (b.1968) has been a tireless advocate of contemporary music. Through his work as a composer, conductor, producer and educator, he has engaged diverse audiences throughout the country with the music of our time. In recognition of these efforts, in 2008 he won the Michigan Governor’s Award in Arts Education, and in 2009 the American Composers Forum's Champion of New Music Award for his significant contributions to the work and livelihoods of contemporary composers throughout the country.

Bill’s own music has roots in minimalism and jazz, the latter, undoubtedly connected to playing trumpet in jazz bands throughout his youth. His compositions are energetic, evocative and deeply personal, and have been described as “…constantly threatening to burst at the seams, were those seams not so artfully structured...rarely has music this earthy been so elegant." [Gramophone Magazine]

Bill’s music has been performed in major cities and venues across the country including at (le) Poisson Rouge, Galapagos, Symphony Space, and Lincoln Center (New York), Woodruff Arts Center (Atlanta), the Atlas (Washington D.C.), Initman Theater (Seattle), and the Hobby Center (Houston), and internationally in Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia. His music has received awards from Meet the Composer, ASCAP, and New Music USA.

Press

Washington Post • November 10, 2011
concert review

Culture Map Houston • October 20, 2011
Dance Source Houston • October 20, 2011
Texas, a Concept • November 16, 2011
previews, reviews, The Secondary Colors collaboration with Karen Stokes Dance

Rapid Growth Media • February 11, 2010
Holland Sentinal • February 4, 2010
Champion of New Music Award articles

Newsweek • October 12, 2009
feature on GVSU New Music Ensemble

GVNow • November 17, 2008
Governor's Arts Educator Award announcement

Kalamazoo Gazette • May 18, 2007
concert review

New York Times • October 18, 2007
feature on GVSU New music Ensemble

New York Times • March 1, 2007
concert review

New Music Connoisseur • November 10, 2004
CD review

Gramophone Magazine • September 1, 2004
CD review

All Music Guide • April 27, 2004
CD review

Interviews

New Music Box • December 15, 2011
KUHF Houston Public Radio • October 19, 2011
Composer-Choreographer Exchange • February 18, 2011
Michigan NPR • February 26, 2010
American Composers Forum • January 15, 2010
Tokafi • November 19, 2009
Naxos of America • November 5, 2009
WGVU Grand Rapids • November 4, 2009
KRLD News Radio Dallas • October 14, 2009
Kronos Quartet • April 22, 2009
Weekend Edition • February 3, 2008
WGVU Grand Rapids • January 12, 2008
Tokafi • December 9, 2007

Radio/TV Performances

Great Day Houston • July 14, 2011
Karen Stokes Dance performs to A Simple Place

Q2 WQXR • March 6, 2011
Todd Reynolds performs A Simple Place (starts at 20'25")

KUHF Houston • February 21, 2011
Composer interview, Todd Reynolds & Aura performs Blurred

KUHF Houston • November 15, 2010
Composer interview, Dan Gelok performs Smoke

KPBS San Diego • June 6, 2007
Noise Ensemble performs, discusses Blurred

KUHF Houston • April 12, 2005
Composer interview, Aura performs Blurred

Writings

Muso • January 12, 2007
Opinion piece on concert planning

New Music Box • November 2, 2006
Article on NYC Field Trip with students


In addition to the concert stage, Bill’s music is regularly used by choreographers and dance companies throughout the country. Most recently he composed the music for The Secondary Colors, an evening-length collaboration with Karen Stokes Dance which was called “The most adventurous, if not spectacular, work this year” by Culture Map Houston.

Also active as a concert producer, Bill has presented over 50 events in his Open Ears and Free Play concert series, gaining national recognition with three ASCAP/Chamber Music America Adventurous Programming Awards. Notable guests have included eighth blackbird, Prism, So Percussion, Ethel, Lisa Moore, Todd Reynolds, Julia Wolfe, Talujon, Michael Lowenstern, and the Michael Gordon Band.
 
As a conductor Bill has commissioned and premiered dozens of works by such notable composers as Phil Kline, Marc Mellits, Belinda Reynolds, Jad Abumrad, Evan Ziporyn, and David Lang. In 2006 he founded the Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble, who have been profiled in numerous publications including Newsweek, the New York Times, and Billboard Magazine, and featured on NPR's Weekend Edition, All Things Considered, and WNYC's Radiolab. Beyond their many campus events they have performed concerts in Detroit, Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington D.C., at New York’s Bang On a Can Marathon, as members of the all-star ensemble assembled by the Kronos Quartet to perform on the In C 45th Anniversary concert at Carnegie Hall, at (le) Poisson Rouge, and at the Make Music New York summer festival.
 
Bill has produced three critically acclaimed recordings by the ensemble, named to top year-end lists by the New York Times, Washington Post, LA Weekly, Time Out Chicago, and many others. A track from their second CD, In C Remixed, was recently heard on MTV's new hit series Teen Wolf. Music from their first CD, Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians, was recently named one of the top five classical recordings of the decade by WNYC’s John Schaefer.
 
Bill resides in West Michigan with his wife and three children. When not working on music Bill can usually be found in the woods, washing his truck, or watching the Detroit Tigers.