Ryan Socrates

Hey there. I am a percussionist, drummer, composer, arranger, educator, and producer. I love most any kind of music; I love creating it and collaborating with other people. Now here's just a little more detail...

I am currently studying an eclectic bunch of subjects at the University of Miami. I'm close to getting my Masters in Studio and Jazz Writing and in another two years I'll be getting another Masters in Media Writing and Production. I graduated cum laude in 2005 with a Bachelor's Degree in Percussion Performance and Jazz Studies from Ithaca College.

I like to write, produce, and record any style of music for any occasion. So far, I've had the privilege and opportunity to compose and arrange for orchestra, big band, and various other chamber ensembles. This past year I got into the wonderful world of production work using computers and recording equipment.

Since arriving in Miami last year, I have written an electronic piece for the University of Miami dance department and some charts for the Grammy-award winning Concert Jazz Band. I've taught in the greater Miami area, both privately and for schools. I played vibes and percussion in the Concert Jazz Band and I'm an active sideman in area venues from the Globe Cafe in Coral Gables, to the Hard Rock Casino, and the www.arturosandovaljazzclub.com. I co-lead a band with trumpeter Augie Haas called the South 9 Ensemble - myspace.com/southnine, and we just released an album (http://cdbaby.com/cd/southnine).

During my summers, I teach music technology, theory, jazz, and percussion at the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts. I attended the Henry Mancini Institute as a percussionist in 2002 and 2004 I worked with top name film and jazz composers such as Vince Mendoza, Jeff Clayton, Mark Snow, Mark Isham and Johnny Mandel. I kept my marimba chops up in 2002 at the Leigh Howard Stevens Marimba Seminar and I did the orchestral thing at the Masterworks arts festival with the St. Louis Orchestra percussionists. In 2003, I was the pit percussionist for CLOC - the College Light Opera Company, a summer stock musical theatre company in Cape Cod. Recently, I was featured as marimba soloist with the York Symphony Orchestra in 2005.

My teachers have made great impact on my life and they continue to help me make better musical choices. I am proud to have studied percussion with Brian Yealy and Dave Hershey while in my hometown of Hanover, PA and with Gordon Stout and Conrad Alexander of Ithaca College. At Miami, I formally entered the academic world of composition and I've learned a great deal about construction and fundamentals from my new composition teachers, Gary
Lindsay and Ronnie Miller. This fall, I'll be learning from Dr. Raul Murciano, former music director for the Miami Sound Machine, backup band for Gloria Estefan. During undergraduate studies, Steve Brown was one of the hardest, yet most loving and caring jazz teachers I've ever had.

When I'm not doing music, you can find me thinking and observing the world around me 24 hours nonstop! I love philosophy and I try to understand the value of each and every living (and nonliving) creature. I advocate critical thinking, rationality, and reason in all areas of life while surrendering to the beauty of human expression through the creative arts. See my theories in action through my teaching, performing, and composition.

Well that's plenty about me, tell me about yourself sometime!