Ryan Peterson is an award-winning jazz guitarist, band leader, educator, and recent transplant to Ithaca, NY. Since moving to New York, Ryan is quickly becoming an in-demand guitarist and had the pleasure of leading his quartet as the opening act on the main stage at the Northeast Jazz and Wine Festival in Syracuse, NY in July 2023 – a festival with a history of attracting over 66,000 festival-goers to downtown Syracuse every summer.

As a band leader, Ryan leads the Ryan Peterson Trio and the Ryan Peterson Quartet. Having been called a “wunderkind” by CNY Jazz Arts Foundation, Ryan’s music consists of decidedly modern, virtuosic, energetic interpretations of Great American Songbook standards. The Ryan Peterson Trio currently holds a monthly residency hosting a Jazz Jam at Liquid State Brewing Co. in Ithaca, NY.

Ryan completed his Master of Music in Jazz Performance at the prestigious University of North Texas College of Music in May 2023 where he was the Graduate Teaching Fellow in the Jazz Guitar studio. As a Teaching Fellow, Ryan taught applied guitar and directed one of the Jazz Guitar Lab Bands. Under Ryan’s direction, the group won the award for “Outstanding Ensemble” at the 2023 International Collegiate Guitar Ensemble Festival. In May 2023, Ryan was invited to present at the Forum on Jazz & Popular Music at the Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua where he gave his presentation entitled “Using the Altered Scale: Arpeggio and Triad Superimpositions for Modern Jazz Lines.” Ryan maintains an active commitment to teaching lessons in-person and online via Zoom.

Before moving to New York, Ryan performed in the Dallas / Fort Worth metroplex at venues such as Revelers Hall, Parker Jazz Club, Steve’s Wine Bar, and at the annual Denton Arts & Jazz Festival for two consecutive years.