Page 9 - Phil Queens of Rock and Soul digital program

Ryan Shirar
Guest Conductor

RYAN SHIRAR is a New York City-based
conductor and music director who is also
an accomplished pianist and orchestrator.
Trained classically, he is diversely capable in styles ranging from
masterworks to pop to Broadway. Shirar is currently the music
director of The Four Phantoms, with an upcoming PBS Special
airing in August. He has performed globally at venues including
Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Aspen Music Festival,

Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, New York’s Town Hall, and
Feinstein’s/54 Below and with orchestras including Tulsa Signature
Symphony, Austin Symphony, Lexington Philharmonic, West
Michigan Symphony, Columbus Symphony, and Cleveland Pops.
Shirar made his Broadway debut in 2015 as pianist for The Visit,
starring Chita Rivera. He also performs with Manhattan Concert
Productions, which holds residencies in New York City every spring
culminating in choral and orchestral performances at Carnegie Hall.

One of Shirar’s interests is in the development of new works in
classical, pop, and theatrical genres. He is orchestrator for The
American Pops Orchestra (Washington, DC), and through APO,
has written for the PBS series, One Voice: The Songs We Sing. As
an arranger and orchestrator, Shirar has collaborated with Stephen
Schwartz, Jerry Herman, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Mandy Gonzalez,
Sheena Easton, MercyMe, The Broadway Boys, the MUNY,
SpotOn Productions, and Virginia Opera. Shirar also serves as
music director and orchestrator for singers Maxine Linehan and
Franc D’Ambrosio.

Shirar received his Bachelors of Arts in Mathematics and Music
from the University of Kentucky and his Masters in Orchestral
Conducting from Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music.

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