biography
Ryan is one of Southern California’s most sought-after oboists. He has performed multiple times with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the San Diego Symphony under the batons of Zubin Mehta and Bramwell Tovey. Additionally, he has played with many orchestras in the region including the LA Ballet, Culver City Chamber Orchestra, Riverside Philharmonic, Bakersfield Symphony, San Bernardino Symphony, Santa Monica Symphony, and the Center Stage Opera Orchestra. From 20009-2011 he joined the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (Washington) as Principal Oboe. Zwahlen has also been featured in the recording studio on feature films and commercials.
Zwahlen’s passion for music is not limited to orchestral performance. He is deeply committed to chamber music as the Executive Director of the Definiens Project, a non-profit, contemporary chamber music organization. Thanks largely to his leadership, the group completed a residency at UCLA in 2007 and was the Resident Ensemble of the 2009 and 2010 Fresno New Music Festival. Residency activities have also been conducted at Biola University, CSU Bakersfield, and USC. Ryan’s other chamber music activities have included the Tonoi Ensemble, LA Harmonie Ensemble, Santa Monica Symphony Wind Quintet and most recently as a founding member the Vientos Trio. Ryan has also been featured as a conductor. He conducted works at the 2009 and 2010 Fresno New Music Festival, as well as David Conte’s opera, America Tropical (libretto by Oliver Mayer) in October 2010 as part of USC’s Vision and Voices program at USC, The Autry National Center, and Pico House.
In the fall of 2010, Ryan joined the faculty of the Idyllwild Arts Academy as Chair of the Music Department. He has taught at both UCLA and Citrus College in California and he joined the faculty of the Las Vegas Music Festival for its 2006 season. He has also committed his time and energy to the Children’s Music Workshop of Los Angeles and to the Santa Monica/Malibu United School District.
His debut solo CD, “In the City at Night,” consists of eight solo English horn pieces all written for him. Zwahlen was also featured on a CD of wind chamber music by Jenni Brandon. Upcoming recording projects include a chamber music CD by Definiens and The Vientos Trio both comprised of music by living composers.
Ryan is a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Chamber Music and Oboe at UCLA. He received his Master of Music degree from Arizona State University and his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. He has studied with Marion Kuszyk, Martin Schuring, and Nancy Ambrose King. He currently resides in Idyllwild and Los Angeles.
