ABOUT
Bio
Photo: Luke Slom
Ryan Cox is currently the Director of Music and a member of the mathematics faculty at The Prout School in Wakefield, RI, where he has worked since 2018. There, he serves as the director of the Concert Band, Choir, String Orchestra, and A Cappella Club, and has taught a variety of junior- and senior-level math classes. As an educator, Ryan’s interests are in music theory, arranging, and making mathematics more accessible to students. His work in two academic disciplines aims to bring a multifaceted, interdisciplinary approach to the classroom and to the rehearsal environment.
A multi-instrumentalist and self-described “musical chameleon” regularly commended for his program selection, Ryan has freelanced since 2012, playing piano, woodwinds, and singing. He primarily works as a sought-after liturgical musician for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence and maintains a small private studio. He has also worked as music director and pit orchestra director for University of Rhode Island’s Lyric Stage Workshop, Codependent Theatrics, Bishop Hendricken High School, and The Prout School. He has been the principal clarinetist for the South County Chamber Orchestra and Ocean State Pops Orchestra, both under the direction of Dr. Brian Cardany, and contributed to the Virtual Concert Band, coordinated by Laura Campbell, on clarinet, piano, and alto saxophone from its foundation in 2020 until its conclusion in 2023. Ryan has also been a frequent performer of the National Anthem for the Newport Gulls, Providence College, and Brown University, and has additionally been an adjudicator for the CMEA Eastern Region Festival in Killingly, CT.
Ryan’s academic interests are as all-encompassing as his performance resume. His research on Hozier’s use of religious imagery earned him the 2024 URI Writing Award in the Graduate Scholarly/Research division. He hopes to publish and present his research exploring the challenges faced by directors of small and limited-instrumentation wind bands at the local, regional, and national levels. His other future research interests include the role of student leadership on the success of high school music programs and the role of imposter syndrome in collegiate and post-graduate musicians.
Ryan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in piano performance and mathematics from Providence College in 2018, studying piano under Dr. Sang Woo Kang, voice under David Harper and Amanda Santo, and conducting under Dr. Eric Melley. He also completed his secondary education teaching certificate in mathematics through Providence College in 2020, and maintains his licensure in Rhode Island. He recently completed a Master of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Rhode Island in 2026, studying under Dr. Brian Cardany and Dr. Luis Víquez. In his spare time, Ryan enjoys watching hockey, playing trivia, and eating his way around the Ocean State.
Philosophy
Diversity statement | Programming underrepresented composers
Large musical ensembles often fail to program repertoire from composers of diverse backgrounds; these underrepresented groups include female composers, BIPOC composers, and LGBTQ+ composers. It turns out that there is a vast catalog of quality music available for band and orchestra by these composers, and I have made it a goal of mine to program at least one piece by an underrepresented composer per concert season, ensuring they have an integral role in my programming. Composer biographies, program notes, or thematic concert programs help to ensure that works by underrepresented composers are incorporated into my concert programs in a way that acknowledges the composers’ diversity without tokenizing their work. The wind band as a medium is a champion of new works; I look forward to continuing to give underrepresented composers a place in the program in a way that feels meaningful and productive.
Liturgical music | Proclaiming the message
Coming soon
Music education | In the private studio and the rehearsal room
Coming soon
Math education | Ending "math-phobia"
Coming soon
Photo: Luke Slom