Ryan is professor of trumpet at Illinois Wesleyan University, and he is a founding member of the award winning Chicago-based brass quintet Northside Brass. In addition to teaching at Illinois Wesleyan he maintains an active private studio with 40+ high school students in the Chicagoland area, and a very busy performance schedule. Ryan has performed with many groups including: Lyric Opera Orchestra of Chicago, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theater, Camerata Chicago, Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LA), American Ballet Theater orchestra (NYC), Omaha Symphony Orchestra and Brass Quintet, Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Chicago Sinfonietta, Illinois Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of St. John Cantius, Chicago Arts Orchestra, Elgin Symphony, Chicago's "Bach-Week" Festival Orchestra, Apollo Chorus, Oistrach Symphony Orchestra, Millar Brass Ensemble, International Chamber Artists Orchestra, Present Music Milwaukee, and the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra. Ryan has also performed alongside many world-renowned soloists as well including: Jazz Bassist Victor Wooten, Jody Benson (Ariel in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”), International Opera Stars Richard Troxell and Sarah Jane McMahon, The Harlem String Quartet, and Violin soloists Rachel Barton- Pine, Melissa White and Tessa Lark. He has performed under the baton of renowned conductors: Joseph Kreines, Ormsby Wilkins, Carlos Miguel Prieto, Mei-Ann Chen, Ken Lam, Cliff Colnot, Thomas Wilkins, Joseph Giunta and Richard Webster.As a Jazz/Commercial Player Ryan has performed with Rock Legend Dennis DeYong and "Styx", The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, and Jazz Legend Doc Severinson and his Big Band. He has also performed alongside vocalist Damien McGinty from the hit T.V. show "Glee", and grammy-nominated Jazz vocalist Jane Monheit. He has also performed in countless Broadway in Chicago pit orchestras including, "Sound of Music", "In the Heights", "Hunchback of Notre Dame", and "Hair".Ryan studied trumpet with:Kevin Hartman- UW- MilwaukeeCharles Geyer and Barbara Butler- NorthwesternMatt Lee & John Hagstrom- DePaul University/Chicago Symphony John Rommel- Indiana UniversityWill Scarlett- Chicago Symphony