Dr. Ryan Trew is a composer and music theory pedagogue. Ryan received his Doctorate of Music at the University of British Columbia and holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Toronto. As an active educator, Ryan has over 20 years of experience instructing all levels of theory, harmony, counterpoint, analysis, composition, ear-training, and music history. An instructor in high demand, Ryan teaches both privately and in-group lessons at several music academies and studios throughout the Lower Mainland. Ryan’s teaching philosophy reflects a desire to facilitate musical growth and creativity with an approach that is stimulating, challenging and comprehensive. Ryan engages students of all musical abilities, interests and backgrounds in a comfortable learning environment. His students often receive top grades in their examinations.
As a composer, Ryan’s works have been commissioned and performed by renowned Canadian ensembles including the Canadian Opera Company, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Prince George Symphony Orchestra, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and the Kingston Symphony. Living in a modern tonal world, Ryan’s work focuses on rhythmic, harmonic and timbral relationships, while incorporating popular styles and classical idioms in unique and unfamiliar contexts. His music has been described as “sumptuous, remarkable and constantly surprising.” Audiences have found his works to be deeply compelling.
In 2025 Ryan’s orchestral and operatic work was performed across the country: Symphony Number 1 by the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, Intermezzo by the Saskatoon Symphony, his arrangement of Hindemith’s Flute Sonata by the Kingston Symphony Orchestra, and his chamber Opera Come Closer by Opera 5.
Ryan has participated in workshops focused exclusively on his music with Opera McGill in Montreal and the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa. His work has recently been nominated for Outstanding New Opera at the 2026 Dora Awards in Toronto. Ryan has also been awarded residencies with Pacific Opera Victoria, The Banff Centre for the Arts and Opera McGill. Ryan wrote the music for episode nine of Threepenny Submarine which is a 2024 winner of Opera America’s Digital Excellence in Opera Award and he was also a winner of the Vancouver Symphony Olympic Commissioning Project.
Ryan has several composition students whose works have been performed publicly by both the Vancouver Symphony, the Victoria Symphony, Richmond Symphony and Turning Point ensemble among others.
