Ryan Phipps, cellist

Cellist Ryan Phipps is a diverse artist and educator based in Los Angeles. Ryan has performed in master classes with artists such as Mark Summer (Turtle Island Quartet), Brant Taylor (Chicago Symphony), Julie Albers (New England Conservatory), Pacifica Quartet, JACK Quartet, and Trio Solisti. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Cello Performance from Marshall University, a Master of Music Degree in Cello Performance from West Virginia University and an Artist Diploma from California State University Fullerton. He has also studied orchestral repertoire with Gloria Lum (Los Angeles Philharmonic).

An avid chamber musician, Ryan has performed with many ensembles throughout his career. As a member of the award-winning Montani Quartet at WVU, Ryan taught and performed at the prestigious Interlochen Fine Arts Camp in 2019. Ryan is a founding member of the Studio City String Quartet and the principal cellist of Orchestra Collective of Orange County (Brea, CA). He also performs as a section member in several local ensembles including Whittier Regional Orchestra (Whittier, CA), Shekinah Ensemble (Anaheim, CA), Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (Los Angeles, CA), and Liminal Voices and Orchestra (Los Angeles, CA). He is deeply passionate about new music and has premiered many works throughout his career. You can hear Ryan on the strings track for Peso Pluma’s debut performance at the 2023 Video Music Awards. He also moonlights as violist and keyboardist with local indie band, Linen.

As an educator, Ryan is focused on his growing studio, CelloLab LA. Additionally, he teaches cello lessons and coaches chamber music at Occidental College, he is an Artist Teacher with Harmony Project, and he directs the Intermezzo Orchestra and Middle School Chamber Ensemble at Sinai Akiba Academy. Ryan has served as faculty and guest artist at the West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts and was a faculty member at Renaissance Arts Academy. Ryan’s primary teachers have been Cynthia Puls, Dr. Solen Dikener, Dr. Erin Ellis, Bongshin Ko, and Daniel Rothmuller. In his free time, Ryan enjoys live music and comedy, traveling, learning about philosophy and cosmology, and craft beer.

I am for hire as a cello soloist but can also contract additional musicians, especially those who are members of Talon Quartet as a full group as well as any combination of group members.