Guitar Lessons with Ryan M.

Ryan is a multi-instrumentalist and composer born and raised in New York City. After graduating from LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts, he studied jazz guitar under the instruction of Dan Balmer at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, OR. His deep passion for live performance and collaborative ensemble work has led him to perform at venues in across the country, in a wide variety bands playing a diverse mix of genres including (but not limited to) rock, jazz, pop, R&B, folk, fusion, funk and hip-hop. His primary influences include Trey Anastasio, Nai Palm, Bill Frisell, Jerry Garcia, Kikagaku Moyo, and the Brian Blade Fellowship.

As a teacher, Ryan is focused on helping his students develop their own unique relationship with their instrument and the world of music. He has been teaching guitar for over a decade to students of all ages and skill levels. His teaching philosophy stems from his deeply rooted belief that playing music is a very fun activity that everyone has the ability to learn how to do. Ryan currently plays guitar in the Brooklyn based band Jane Fonda Fan Club, and collaborates with a number of NYC-based artists including Maddy Rae, Miranda Fayne, and Skinnydippers.

He is also a member of the Portland-based experimental jazz collective, LDY BTTRFLY, which released their debut album “CLLS FR” in 2024. When not playing guitar or writing music, Ryan can usually be found reading, hiking, cooking, or gardening. He finds much of his musical inspiration in the natural world, and in the energy and people of New York City.