Ryan Chen, from Tucson, Arizona, is a senior at Catalina Foothills High School. He began studying classical guitar at the age of 6. In addition to winning the 2019 Senior Strings division in the Civic Orchestra of Tucson Young Artists’ Competition, he is a prize winner at the Guitar Foundation of America International Youth Competition (2016), a 2-time AMEA State Soloist (2017, 2019), and a 2-time NAfME All-National Honor Ensemble guitarist (2018, 2019).

Ryan has performed in concert with Ivan Rijos (Puerto Rico) in the Tucson Guitar Society’s 8th International Guitar Festival (2016), “Trilogy: Award Winning Guitarists” at Desert View Performing Arts Center (2017), “Sundays in the Garden” Fall Concert Series at Tohono Chul (2018), and with the Arizona Symphonic Winds (2018). He is also the first guitar soloist, in the 65-year history of the orchestra, to perform a concerto with the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra at the Philharmonia Artists Spotlight Concert (2019).

Ryan has had the privilege of playing in Master Classes with David Russell, Sergio & Odair Assad, Judicael Perroy, Jeremy Jouve, and others. He has been a student of Professor Tom Patterson, Director of the Bolton Classical Guitar Studies Program at the University of Arizona, since the age of 10.

Ryan will perform two solo guitar pieces at the Civic Orchestra of Tucson’s Benefit Concert and Silent Auction on Saturday, February 8, 2020.