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Biography
Ryan Monarch is from Westland, Michigan and is the older of two children. Before college, he participated in many musical activities including the Livonia Symphony Orchestra, attended Interlochen Arts Camp, acted in musicals as part of the Franklin Players, and performed in the High School's bands and extra curricular small ensembles.
He attended the University of Michigan to study instrumental music education and the French horn. While at Michigan, he studied with Adam Unsworth, formerly of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, Bryan Kennedy of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and Sören Hermansson of the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, as well as educators Colleen Conway and Robert Culver. During this time, Ryan worked with the Franklin High School marching band as head brass instructor, drill technician, and arranger, as well as with Chelsea High School as mellophone instructor. He also assisted teaching at Saline High School, Saline Middle School, and Airport Middle School. During the summer of 2007, he marched with the world-renowned drum and bugle corps, The Cavaliers. During the summer of 2008, Ryan gave a clinic at the Adrian College Horn Day, covering the basics of horn playing, literature, and ensemble playing for elementary-high school students.
In his last semester of studies at the University of Michigan, Ryan taught with Robert Ambrose at Andover High School and West Hills Middle School in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Ryan furthered his education and knowledge about running an efficient, effective, and meaningful band program under Robert's knowledge and 32 years of experience building some of the best bands that Michigan has to offer. This experience enabled him to confidently manage the Rifle High School band program, where he worked for five years after graduating from the University of Michigan.
In 2014, Ryan applied for and was accepted into the University of Colorado's summer Master's in Music Education program. That same year, he accepted a new position as Band Director at Overland High School in the Cherry Creek School District. In 2016, Ryan received his MME from the University of Colorado. In 2020, Ryan applied for and was accepted into Regis University's Master of Educational Leadership program. He received his Initial Principal License in November of 2021 and his Master's in Educational Leadership in August of 2023.
Ryan currently resides in Aurora, CO with his wife Rachel, an elementary school music teacher who teaches in Cherry Creek as well. Ryan’s hobbies include playing tennis, bike riding, golfing, hiking, basketball, and building computers.
Band/Leadership Biography
In August of 2009, Ryan began teaching band at Rifle High School. In 2009, the program numbered only nine students in Concert Band and four in Jazz Band, with a beginning percussion methods class numbering in the mid-twenties. However, Ryan engaged in endless recruiting efforts (including cooperative concerts with the elementary and middle schools) and worked tirelessly to help students both in and outside of class. As a result of his leadership and collaborative efforts vertically aligning the music programs in Rifle, the program expanded tremendously in just five years. The concert band grew to 60 members, the jazz band to 21 members, and another section of the school’s percussion methods class had to be opened to accommodate the 70+ people requesting it. The middle school also saw the largest number of fifth grade students requesting band in its history.
During Ryan's five years at RHS, he started a jazz combo to promote soloing, a marching band to promote the school in the community, a pep band to support RHS athletics, and a music boosters organization to help ensure the band’s continued success. But more importantly, the concert and jazz bands were stabilized, began producing quality music, and became known on the Western Slope as some of the best high school bands in the area. RHS students also participated in Solo and Ensemble contests and were selected for All State Band, All State Orchestra, and All State Jazz Band.
In July of 2014, Ryan accepted his new position as Band Director at Overland High School. In 2014, the OHS band program numbered in the mid-thirties and was in danger of completely falling apart. However, Ryan applied many of the same methods used in Rifle, and as a result of his leadership and collaborative efforts, the Overland bands were reinvigorated. The marching band started having over 100 people singing up year over year, the concert band had over 70, and a third performance group (symphonic band) had to be opened during second semester to accommodate the large increase in numbers. The performing groups now do well at competitions, students audition for and make honor bands, students participate in Solo and Ensemble contests, and most importantly, the students love music, music making, and are respected in the school and community. Music is truly alive and well at Overland High School.
Ryan, being a band director and a teacher of 16+ years, has given him a truly unique perspective in terms of school leadership. Band programs, when run properly, are smaller versions of the larger institutions that they represent. For example, Ryan is responsible for:
1. Maintaining a staff of instrumentalists to assist in teaching while also training them along the way to become better teachers
2. Managing a budget to pay staff, buy supplies, and plan for future endeavors
3. Developing curriculum and differentiating said curriculum in order to achieve success for every student
4. Collaborating with music teachers at every level to promote engagement of students and vertical alignment
5. Branding (developing logos, a positive image, spreading the word about OHS and music in the school and community, etc.)
6. Fundraising to fill the gaps in school funding by managing a parent 501(c)(3) organization and using the organization to promote parental, community engagement, and the development of relationships with stakeholders at all levels
7. Developing a mission statement for the program and booster group so all parties understand their purpose, and
8. Assisting in the creation of the master schedule and managing hundreds of student's schedules in order for students that want to be in music to have that opportunity.
Ryan is ready for new and more expansive leadership opportunities and to have a greater impact on the school and community by taking his leadership and teaching experience to affect change on a much larger stage.