Ryan Taylor

Ryan is a composer, author, pianist, music producer, and teacher. Ryan is the author of a music theory and composition textbook entitled The Theory and Creation of Music. He has won awards for his original music, such as his first place award for Best Original Film Score in the Montgomery County Film Festival in 2011. He also has performed at prestigious venues like the Takoma Park Jazz Festival and has experience in a wide variety of styles including classical, jazz, rock, and electronic music.

Ryan holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music in Contemporary Writing and Production. He was accepted in 2013 with a scholarship and finished the four-year program only two and half years later. He has studied with great teachers such as the amazing composer and concert pianist Jeffrey Chappell. He has also studied guitar performance on the side and experiments with different instruments whenever he can.

Ryan has been teaching for ten years both independently and in collaboration with organizations like Music & Arts, School of Rock, Dance New England, and others. In April 2026, Ryan was voted “Teacher of the Month” nationally across all Music & Arts stores.

My teaching style is creative, curious, and passionate. I emphasize understanding theory and performance principles deeply rather than going through practice sessions mechanically. I aim to provide a supportive and encouraging atmosphere where students can go at their own pace and pursue whatever interests them the most. My lessons combine core concepts and skills with a deeply personalized approach. For beginners who prefer a more structured approach, I will sometimes guide students through method books to help get them started. Other students prefer to pick out pieces to learn or work on writing their own pieces. In our first lesson, we can discuss how to tailor lessons uniquely to your experience level, interests, and goals.

Learning music is a wonderful vehicle for learning about life, skill mastery, and creativity. Through music lessons, I help students to find their authentic voice, overcome challenges, and connect with their intrinsic motivation, curiosity, and passion.