Joining Arizona Cantilena Chorale at the Mesa Arts Center for the Brahms Liebeslieder Walzer is world-renowned pianist Russell Ryan.

Recently retired from Arizona State University, Ryan began his professional career in 1985, when he became a member of staff of the vocal department at Vienna’s University for Music and Performing Arts. In 1991, he became the assistant in the Lieder class led by distinguished soprano Edith Mathis. For several years he was also accompanist of the Wiener Singverein and frequently gave master classes in Lied, opera, and musical theatre repertoire at such international festivals as the Jugendfestival Bayreuth, the Wiener Meisterkurse, the Gino Bechi Festival in Florence, and the Oslo Music Academy. 

In 2008, he became Professor of Practice for Collaborative Piano at Arizona State University. He has also been in charge of the Vocal Performance Class at the Institute for the International Education of Students in Vienna. Ryan has performed in recital regularly in Europe, the United States, Israel, Japan, and China.

Arizona Cantilena Chorale is proud to have Russell Ryan join Robert Mills in the 4-hand piano compositions by Johannes Brahms.