Regan Ryzuk
Encyclopedia
Regan Ryzuk is an American
composer
and pianist
. Regan is the son of renowned painter
, Onufry Ryzuk and published author
and playwright
, Mary S. Ryzuk, PhD. He is the oldest their two children.
in 1973, Ryzuk studied with Robert Helps
at Manhattan School of Music
as well as attended The Juilliard School
. Ryzuk's classical music
studies then led into jazz
studies with Jaki Byard
and Sir Roland Hanna
. At Juilliard, he began his studies in piano performance, but quickly changed to composition.
– traveling through Europe
and Latin America
. The playing of ballet classes, improved his improvisational techniques and laid the groundwork for one of his greatest compositional works – "48 Preludes and Fugues" – in the style of Johann Sebastian Bach
. This work was composed over the course of a year when he was living in Switzerland
.
After moving back to the United States, Ryzuk lived in New York and continued his composition work. He also developed a base of students, including Fountains of Wayne
co-founder, Adam Schlesinger
.
He is a founding partner in tv/film music production company, respectively known as SOUNDGUILD. Regan’s work can be heard on numerous television and movie projects through his work with Zomba Music.
as well as a full length, fully orchestrated musical based on the Novel, the Lodger. He also wrote the music and the book for Joe’s Bar, with additional lyrics by Mary S. Ryzuk.
Regan is co-founder of the theater company Enchanted Players, as well as composer in Residence at the historical Darress Theatre in Boonton, New Jersey
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
. Regan is the son of renowned painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, Onufry Ryzuk and published author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, Mary S. Ryzuk, PhD. He is the oldest their two children.
Education
A graduate from Montville Township High School in New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in 1973, Ryzuk studied with Robert Helps
Robert Helps
Robert Helps was an American pianist and composer....
at Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
as well as attended The Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
. Ryzuk's classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
studies then led into jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
studies with Jaki Byard
Jaki Byard
Jaki Byard was an American jazz pianist and composer who also played trumpet and saxophone, among several other instruments. He was noteworthy for his eclectic style, incorporating everything from ragtime and stride to free jazz...
and Sir Roland Hanna
Roland Hanna
Roland Hanna was an American Jazz pianist.Hanna studied classical piano as a boy, but was strongly interested in jazz. This increased after his time in military service.He studied at Eastman School of Music and Juilliard School...
. At Juilliard, he began his studies in piano performance, but quickly changed to composition.
Development as a composer
Ryzuk began touring with various ballet companiesBallet company
A ballet company is a group of dancers who perform ballet, plus managerial and support staff. Most major ballet companies employ dancers on a year-round basis, except in the United States, where contracts for part of the year are the norm...
– traveling through Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. The playing of ballet classes, improved his improvisational techniques and laid the groundwork for one of his greatest compositional works – "48 Preludes and Fugues" – in the style of Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
. This work was composed over the course of a year when he was living in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
After moving back to the United States, Ryzuk lived in New York and continued his composition work. He also developed a base of students, including Fountains of Wayne
Fountains of Wayne
Fountains of Wayne is an American power pop band that formed in New York City in 1996. The band consists of members Chris Collingwood, Adam Schlesinger, Jody Porter and Brian Young.-Early years:...
co-founder, Adam Schlesinger
Adam Schlesinger
Adam Schlesinger is an American songwriter, composer and record producer. He has been nominated for Oscar, Tony, Emmy, Grammy , and Golden Globe Awards. He is also a winner of the ASCAP Pop Music Award....
.
He is a founding partner in tv/film music production company, respectively known as SOUNDGUILD. Regan’s work can be heard on numerous television and movie projects through his work with Zomba Music.
Musicals & Theater
Regan collaborated on a number of musicals with Mary S. Ryzuk, including some of Grimm's Fairy TalesGrimm's Fairy Tales
Children's and Household Tales is a collection of German origin fairy tales first published in 1812 by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, the Brothers Grimm. The collection is commonly known today as Grimms' Fairy Tales .-Composition:...
as well as a full length, fully orchestrated musical based on the Novel, the Lodger. He also wrote the music and the book for Joe’s Bar, with additional lyrics by Mary S. Ryzuk.
Regan is co-founder of the theater company Enchanted Players, as well as composer in Residence at the historical Darress Theatre in Boonton, New Jersey
Boonton, New Jersey
Boonton is a town in Morris County, New Jersey that was chartered in 1867. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 8,347. The town was originally called "Boone-Towne" in 1761 in honor of the Colonial Governor Thomas Boone....
.
Who he has worked with
- Grover Kemble
- Ian David
- Emanuel Kallins
- Barbara McCarthy
- New Jersey BalletNew Jersey BalletThe New Jersey Ballet is a ballet company based in Livingston, New Jersey in the United States, founded in 1958 by native New Jerseyan Carolyn Clark and her fellow dancer, George Tomal.- History :...
- Carmen Artis
- Rio Clemente
- Cindy Lee
Awards won
- 1980 Kean College Jazz Composition and Performance Award
- 2004-2005 Perry Awards for Joe's Bar - Outstanding Musical Direction, Outstanding Production of an Original Musical,
Education
- Manhattan School of Music
- Juilliard School of Music
- Studied Under: Jaki Byard, Steven Citron, Sir Roland Hanna, Robert Helps, Henry Rauch, Ernst Ulmer and Stanley Wolfe
Films
- Chasing PapiChasing PapiChasing Papi is a 2003 Latino comedy film starring Roselyn Sánchez, Sofía Vergara, Jaci Velasquez, and Eduardo Verástegui. The women discover that their boyfriend has been dating all three of them at the same time—a discovery that leads them on an adventure throughout Los Angeles,...
- Kissing Jessica SteinKissing Jessica SteinKissing Jessica Stein is a 2001 independent romantic comedy film, written and co-produced by the film's stars, Jennifer Westfeldt and Heather Juergensen. The film also stars Tovah Feldshuh and is directed by Charles Herman-Wurmfeld...
- The Night ListenerThe Night Listener (film)The Night Listener is a 2006 psychological horror film directed by Patrick Stettner. The screenplay by Armistead Maupin, Terry Anderson, and Stettner is based on Maupin's 2000 bestselling novel of the same name, which was inspired by actual events in the author's life.-Plot:Gabriel Noone , a...