Teaching Artist Statement
There is no better feeling than watching a student succeed at something they are truly excited about. I strive to light a fire under my students; to help them find the techniques and music that inspire them to dig deeper into their instrument and apply those techniques in creative ways. I put a strong emphasis on aural skills (ear training) and improvisation, and I’m a firm believer of the old adage, “All Knowledge is One.” Musical ideals we learn from studying Beethoven will help us to play the Beatles. Finding the right “wax on/wax off” parallels that click with my students and make learning music fun is one of my favorite parts of teaching.
Teaching Bio
Jazz has always been at the heart of Ryan McNeice’s musical experience. Taking an early shine to the recorder, his general music teachers encouraged him to pick up the saxophone a year early, and they’ve been inseparable ever since. Under the tutelage of Lori and Rich Labedz, along with local trombone phenom Brian Thomas, he learned a love for improvisation and writing that brought him to audition for Districts and All-State ensembles throughout middle and high school, securing the one of the tenor chairs in the Jazz ensembles for six years. During this time, he also picked up the bass, guitar and drums before pursuing his BA in Jazz African American Music Studies at UMass Amherst.
At UMass he studied with classical saxophone legend Lynn Klock, as well as with Felipe Salles, the recipient of the Manhattan School of Music’s first Jazz Doctoral. Through his classical studies he learned a deep love for the bass clarinet and flute, opting to move from his primary instrument for larger ensembles. In his jazz tutelage, his time was split between learning the “standards” of the jazz idiom as well as doing a deep dive into Latin music, specifically the music of his teacher’s home country of Brazil. While teaching, Ryan aims to combine the knowledge gained from this diverse group of educators to provide a unique experience tailored to the student’s needs. He started at SSC in 2023.
Performance Bio
A diverse blend of education and instrumentation, Ryan’s musical journey has taken him all over the country for all manner of performances. With a saxophone in hand, he has traveled from coast to coast as a member of various jazz ensembles ranging from trios to Big Bands, sharing stages with jazz legends such as Sheila Jordan, Kenny Garrett, and Randy Brecker. Fronting the four-piece funk powerhouse, “Not Fit to Print,” he won “2012 Best R&B/Pop Performance” from Downbeat Jazz Magazine. As a bass player, Ryan helms the Boston-based BOSS Band - an eight-piece band that covers everything from the Motown era to today’s hits. Ryan can also be seen playing all over New England as the guitarist and vocal accompanist for the Providence-based Mary McAvoy Trio, handling original material and a wide variety of covers. He started with SSC in 2023.