Ringtone #12: for Wendy Carlos

Ringtone #13: Daily Routine

music by Richard James, aka Aphex Twin
arranged for quartet by Christian Ryan (2021)

performed live May 20, 2021
at Fulton Street Collective, Chicago
Midtown Strings:
Natalie Frakes, violin
Caitlin Edwards, violin
Michelle Manson, viola
Kelsee Vandervall - cello

Avril 14 (arr. Christian Ryan)

for solo violin (2012)

Composed by Christian Ryan
Kehan Zhang, violin
Recorded at The Royal Danish Academy of Music

       I occasionally write etudes for myself to help improve whatever technique might need improvement, and to convey a musical message. While writing this etude, I was obsessively playing through and listening to Bach’s Chaconne from Partita No. 2 for solo violin — and one spot of string crossing arpeggios struck me near the middle, right before the sudden switch to major. I started to play around with the phrases, warping and expanding them. Eventually, I got an etude out of it — to help me learn that section of the Chaconne, but also to serve and a standalone piece meant for the concert hall simultaneously. 

Christian Ryan (2012)

Étude (2012)

for two violins and organ (or tape)

Christian Ryan (2013)
Recording and Sound by Nick Schoonover

Postlude (2013)

for solo viola and pre-recorded tape (2012)

composed by Christian Ryan 
performed by Kehan Zhang, viola
Recording and Sound by India Hooi, at Det Kongelige Danske Musik Konservatorium,  
2013 November

        This piece began as a big m piece of staff paper with loads of musical sketches, fragments, college music theory notes, drawings, phone numbers, personal thoughts, and an almost perfect recipe for a very delicious Hungarian stew. This was that one piece of staff paper that you leave on your desk and mindlessly write on when you can’t figure out what to do with the piece you are supposed to be writing. I took all of these sketches and arranged them into an approximately thirteen-minute long piece for solo viola with a pre-recorded drone accompaniment made for live performance. The piece aims to expose the viola’s awkwardness as well as its beauty. Originally written for a very dear friend and violist, Alycia Wilder. 

Christian Ryan (2013)

First Viola Study (2012, rev. 2013)

composed by Nico Muhly (2020)

Christian Ryan, piano

LILT - Nico Muhly (2020)

composed by Christian Ryan (2020)
performed by Six Mile Strings, recorded at Interlochen Studios

violin - Yuri Popowycz, Natalie Frakes
viola - Alycia Wilder
cello - Tom Sullivan

program note - 

Fast Love Song begins as a series of harmonies laid out in a spacial, Reichian fashion, utilizing locomotive sixteenth notes— which are ever-present throughout the piece. The middle section introduces a set of voices that are passed throughout the players in groups of four and three, creating an expansive, ricochet effect. The final section introduces a new set of upward-climbing harmonies at an extremely soft, low velocity and then repeats them all again at maximum velocity. Fast Love Song is dedicated to Six Mile Strings.

Fast Love Song (2020)

remix of "Assistance," from Gossamer, by Michael Zuhorski.
remixed by Christian Ryan (2023)

Michael Zuhorski, guitar
Yuri Popowycz, violin

Assistance (Christian's Mix)

Nico Muhly, composer (2005)
Christian Ryan, piano

performed live, May 13
@ St. Anthony's Cathedral, Detroit MI
for Other Tones 003

Other Tones (live)

Nico Muhly: A Hudson Cycle (live, OT003)

music for the short film, "Ophelia,"
directed by Daniel McKernan & Sophia Lamar (2022)

music composed by Christian Ryan
Alycia Wilder, viola

Music from "To An Imaginary Ophelia"

Composed by Christian Ryan (2023).

performed live in Illinois @ Schweikher House
on December 17th, 2023.

Natalie Frakes, violin
Omkara Gil, cello
John Bitoy, piano

photo by Michael Zuhorski

December Lines (live, IL, 2023)

Christian Ryan (2024),
for Maison D'etto's release of "Verdades," a new fragrance made in collaboration with perfumer Julien Rasquinet.

Cycles

Incidental music for a short film by Jacob Hengesbaugh, with music composed by Christian Ryan (2012)

Room of Lights

Christian Ryan (2024)
for Maison D'etto's release of "Verdades," a new fragrance made in collaboration with Julien Rasquinet.

Trot

composed by Christian Ryan (2024)
for Maison D'etto's release of "Verdades," a new fragrance made in collaboration with Julien Rasquinet.

Canter

Christian Ryan (2024)
for Maison D'etto's release of "Verdades," a new fragrance made in collaboration with perfumer Julien Rasquinet.

Pace

Slow

Ringtone #40

Ringtone #45

Ringtone #50: for JM

Composed by Christian Ryan (2024)

Joseph Gray, violin
Brendan Callies, cello
Derek Szlauer, piano



Christian Ryan

Pinned to spotlight

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