GWENDOLYN RYAN
MUSICIAN & TEACHER
BIOGRAPHY
Gwendolyn Ryan is currently a Masters student at the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at the Catholic University of America pursuing a Masters of Music in Orchestral Conducting and Flute Performance. She also currently works at the Music School of Delaware and with Maestro Simeone Tartaglione as the Assistant Conductor and Interim Concert Coordinator of the Delaware Youth Symphony Orchestra. This year, she also served as the Orchestral Coordinator for the Delaware Orchestral and Chamber Music Institute. In addition, she has a studio of students at the International School of Music, where she teaches flute and recorder. She has recently begun working as a teaching assistant in Music Theory at the Catholic University of America, which has allowed her to be a substitute lecturer. She has taught multiple masterclasses for high school students on performance skills. She recently completed her time at the University of Delaware having earned a Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Music Education with Honors and minors in Applied Voice and History. She also recently completed working as the Intern Coordinator of the Delaware Youth Wind Ensemble and as the Music History Undergraduate Teaching Assistant. With experience in performing flute in the Wind Ensemble and Marching and Pep Bands, percussion in the Collegiate Band and Steel Band, singing in the University Singers, and serving as co-director of the Flute Choir at the University of Delaware, she has had a varied college experience.
Ms. Ryan currently resides in Washington, DC. Her most notable teachers include Maestro Simeone Tartaglione and Dr. Lauren Reynolds for conducting and Dr. Michelle Cho and Eileen Grycky for flute.​
PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY
Ms. Ryan's teaching philosophy includes a discussion of why she believes it is important to teach music, what skill sets she believes an effective teacher should possess, and what she thinks is most important for students to learn in their music programs.
In brief, she believes music is important for its aesthetic value as opposed to for more utilitarian purposes- she believes there is intrinsic value in music outside of students’ grades, and that it teaches skills and cultural appreciation that is irreplaceable by other programs.
In addition, since music is such a personal and emotional experience for many people, an effective teacher should be both clearly passionate and vulnerable with their students to facilitate student success. She maintains high expectations for her students because she believe that leads to higher performance; however, she will go to great lengths to help facilitate growth and meet the individual needs of students. Students should be able to look at their teacher and see a desire to continue learning, despite whatever mistakes the teacher may make. In their music programs, students should be learning a variety of skills, such as musical interpretation, creativity, and performance skills. Students will learn to take risks and gain a lifelong love of music that allows them to continue their music-making after they finish taking classes.​