Ryan Middagh

Ryan Middagh's Biography

Ryan Middagh is the Director of Jazz Studies at the Blair School at Vanderbilt University. Middagh is a DownBeat Magazine award-winning jazz educator, composer, arranger, saxophonist, band leader and clinician, who has traveled the globe sharing his unique blend of talents and musical influences with audiences and music students. A passionate advocate for jazz education at all levels, he pursues creative programming and is devoted to reaching diverse communities through jazz.

Equally skilled as a soloist, collaborator and band leader, Middagh performs at jazz festivals around the world, including tours and performances on behalf of the U.S. State Department. While at home, he is a top-call studio musician in Nashville and performs in a wide array of genres. Middagh has music directed, arranged and performed for Bob Newhart and two educational chamber concerts for the Nashville Symphony. In addition to leading his own jazz small groups, he started the Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra, which features some of Nashville's finest musicians and acts as a vehicle for his new compositions and arrangements.

An active jazz composer and arranger, Middagh has received numerous commissions from musicians and ensembles throughout the United States. He has written for Grammy-winning artists and DownBeat award-winning educational ensembles, and his work has been recorded by prominent collegiate and professional ensembles. Some notable collaborations include arranging for Victor Wooten, Wycliffe Gordon, Ken' Mo', David Paich, Caleb Chapman's Crescent Super Band, the Nashville Jazz Orchestra and Middagh's Blair School of Music colleague Jeff Coffin. Several of his works are published by UNC Jazz Press.

Many of Middagh's former students have successfully gone on to enter graduate music programs, win performance and composition competitions and begin significant, fulfilling careers in the music industry in Nashville and around the world.

Middagh is an artist and clinician for Yamaha Saxophones and D'addario Reeds.

Ryan Middagh's Gear
Ryan Middagh

Gear List

YTS-62