Dr. Ryan C. Lewis is Assistant Professor of Music at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas where he teaches courses in percussion and musicology and directs the Percussion Ensemble, Tiger Drum Line, and Tiger Steel Drum Band.
Previously he served on the music faculties of Claflin University, the University of South Carolina, and Florida State University, where he directed the Caribbean Steel Drum Ensemble. Lewis received recognition for outstanding undergraduate teaching at the University of South Carolina and was awarded "Teacher of the Year" honors as a public school General Music Teacher in Florida.
Lewis holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Music Performance from the University of South Carolina, a Master of Music in Performance from Florida State University, and a Bachelor of Instrumental Music Education from Furman University.
An active member of the Percussive Arts Society and College Music Society, Lewis a past President of the Arkansas Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society and serves on the international Scholarly Research Committee.
Lewis has presented solo and chamber performances at Percussive Arts Society International Conventions, College Music Society National Conventions, the Eastern Trombone Workshop, and the Bob Becker Ragtime Xylophone Workshop. Lewis performs with his own piano-percussion group, Duo Matre, and flute-clarinet percussion group, Trio di Risata. He has appeared with So Percussion, Bob Becker, composer-conductor John Harbison, Mannheim Steamroller, Afro-pop guitarist Habib Koite', and Chinese zheng-master Haiqiong Deng in her Carnegie Hall debut.
Former Principal Percussionist of the Spartanburg Symphony Orchestra, Lewis has performed as timpanist- percussionist with many professional symphony orchestras and under the direction of maestros Keith Lockhart, David Zinman, and Leonard Slatkin. He has performed with the symphonic and opera orchestras of the Aspen Music Festival and the Rome Festival of Italy, as well as symphony orchestras throughout the Southeastern and Midwestern United States.
His scholarly activities include published articles in Percussive Notes, research presentations at Percussive Arts Society International Conventions and College Music Society National Conventions, and a curatad special exhibit at the Rhythm Discovery Center and Museum in Indianapolis, Indiana.
As an Artist-Educator for Dynasty concert percussion instruments and Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets and a member of the Black Swamp Percussion Music Educator Network, Lewis frequently presents clinics, masterclasses, and guest lectures at music educator conferences, high schools, and universities centering on world music cultures, hand drums, jazz drum set, fundamental techniques, symphonic performance practice, historical aspects of percussion instruments, and the celebrity xylophonist George Hamilton Green.
Lewis reads science fiction-fantasy novels rather slowly and plays racquetball rather poorly, but manages to cook rather decently for his wife, children, and their escape-artist beagle.