About
Composer, performer, and sound artist, Ryan Garvey (he/they, 1993), queers poetry and stories, collaborates with slime molds, writes virtuosic instrumental and electronic music, and improvises on his guitar and laptop often incorporating drones and feedback loops.
Their music has been featured at international venues and festivals including Leveld Knusnartun, SWT-Kulturwerk, Harvard University’s Studio 1, Prague’s Academy of Performing arts for the International Shakuhachi Festival, Holtschneider Performance center, MAYDAY. His work has been championed by the Grossman Ensemble, Nexus Chamber Ensemble, Tak Ensemble, Collective Lovemusic, Ensemble Dal Niente, Loadbang, Dana Jessen, and others. Current projects include a collaboration with Ty Bouque on a work for Baritone and Percussion, a recording project with Tak Ensemble, and an evening-length work for piano and electronics for Alfredo Ovalles, with others to be announced.
A recipient of the 2025 Charles Ives Scholarship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, they were also a featured speaker at the 2024 Design History Society at the University of Creative Arts in Kent, Uk, presenting on their sound art collective, SlimeVolt. The Hyde Park Herald has described Ryan’s music as “conceptual art.” Their work draws from experimental jazz, 20th-century avant-garde, drone, and noise music while exploring the intersection of composition, technology, and improvisation—pushing the boundaries of contemporary music.
As Treasurer for A.PE.RI.OD.IC’s Board of Directors, they oversee the finances and contribute to the ensemble’s artistic vision. Previously, he was the Artistic Director and co-owner of Clara Chicago where they curated music programming and the wine program. He also served as Chair of Communication for the University of Chicago’s Graduate Music Society, and they were the Director of Jazz and Guitar at Somerville High School from 2019-2020.
They are currently pursuing a PhD in Composition and Computer Music at the University of Chicago. He holds degrees in Composition and Modern American Music from Longy School of Music (G.D., M.M) and a B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Rhode Island. Ryan’s composition mentors include Augusta Read Thomas, David Bird, Sean Shepherd, Andrew Greenwald, Aaron Helgeson, and Jeremy Van Buskirk. Beyond music, they enjoy cooking, practicing hot yoga, hiking, and developing and printing black-and-white film photography. They currently live in Chicago with their partner, Danny Rivera, their two cats, Grim and Pan, and their collection of 40 plants and shelves of books.